Won & Done: Woods Announces Knee Surgery 2 Days After Taking US Open

June 18, 2008 — -- Tiger Woods has decided to have surgery on his left knee, which will end his 2008 season.

Woods said on his Web site that Woods will have surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. He also wrote that he needs time to rehabilitate a double stress fracture of his left tibia, which he said was discovered just before the Memorial Tournament in late May.

Woods skipped that event, but played 91 holes in winning the U.S. Open in a playoff over Rocco Mediate.

Woods said no date has been determed for the surgery.

"I know much was made of my knee throughout the last week, and it was important to me that I disclose my condition publicly at an appropriate time. I wanted to be very respectful of the USGA and their incredibly hard work, and make sure the focus was on the U.S. Open," said Woods in a statement on his website, tigerwoods.com. "Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery, and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee."

Woods said on his Web site that he originally ruptured the ACL in 2007 while running at his home in Orlando after the British Open. He said he decided not to have surgery at that point, and he went on to win five of the next six events he entered (through his Target World Challenge in December).

"While I am obviously disappointed to have to miss the remainder of the season, I have to do the right thing for my long-term health and look forward to returning to competitive golf when my doctors agree that my knee is sufficiently healthy," Woods wrote on his Web site. "My doctors assure me with the proper rehabilitation and training, the knee will be strong and there will be no long-term effects."

Woods had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 15, two days after he finished second in The Masters in April.

Woods had committed to playing in the Buick Invitational next week. He hosts the AT&T National the week after at Congressional Country Club in Washington, D.C. The report said he would fulfill his obligations to sponsors at those events.