Tiger Woods to miss Masters after back surgery

World number one Tiger Woods said Tuesday he will miss theMasters after undergoing back surgery earlier this week to treat a pinched nervethat has been troubling him for several months."Sad to say I’m missing the Masters. Thanks to the fans for so many kind wishes,"Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by JackNicklaus, said on Twitter and on his website.It will be the first time Woods has missed golf's premier tournament, which starts onThursday for the 78th time, since he made his debut at Augusta National in Georgiaas an amateur in 1995.It will also raise more question marks over whether he can ever catch up withNicklaus, although he insists he can still do it.The surgery was performed on Monday in Park City, Utah, by neurosurgeon CharlesRich, and the 38-year-old will require several weeks rehabilitation."After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessaryprogress, I decided, in consultation with my doctors, to have this procedure done,"Woods said in a statement."I'd like to express my disappointment to the Augusta National membership, staff,volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters."It's a week that's very special to me. It also looks like I'll be forced to miss severalupcoming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy. "It's tough right now, but I'm absolutely optimistic about the future," said Woods,who has had a succession of crippling injuries over the last few years to his knees,wrists and now back, the payback for years of employing one of the most dynamicswings in all of golf.He may yet be joined on the absent list at Augusta by great rival and three-timeprevious winner Phil Mickelson, who was forced to pull out of last week's TexasOpen with a strained muscle in his side. Earlier in the year he too was sidelined withback pain.Woods has played in every Masters since 1995 and has become the tournament's starturn and biggest draw. The following year, he missed his only cut at Augusta National just a few months prior to turning pro.In 1997, in his first major championship as a pro, Woods won the Masters by arecord 12 shots, the first of his 14 major titles. He went on to win the Masters in2001, 2002 and 2005. Since his last victory at Augusta, Woods has seven top-10 finishes in eightappearances and six top-5s, including last year, when he tied for fourth, four strokesbehind winner Adam Scott.But Woods has endured a nightmare start to a crucial year in his quest to set golf'smajor win record.Last month he withdrew in the final round of the Honda Classic, then battled backspasms to a last-round 78 at Doral and skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational,typically his last warmup for the first major of the year at Augusta National.He will begin intensive rehabilitation within a week, with doctors estimating hecould be chipping and putting again in three weeks, and playing again sometime this summer in time for the US and British Opens."It's tough right now, but I'm absolutely optimistic about the future," Woods said."There are a couple [of] records by two outstanding individuals and players that Ihope one day to break. As I've said many times, Sam (Snead) and Jack (Nicklaus)reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left inmine."Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events, including seven majors. Source: AFP