Will Tiger Woods miss any majors?
— -- Tiger Woods announced Wednesday he needed to step away from the public eye to work on his game.
So how much time will the former world No. 1 need to get his game in shape?
Our scribes dive into those topics and more in a special edition of Four-Ball.
1. First reaction after hearing the news about Tiger's break from golf.
ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: My first reaction was relief. Seeing Tiger try to play hurt has gotten old and very uncomfortable for everyone. I hope to not see him before the U.S. Open.
ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: I was a bit puzzled by the idea that he was taking time away, but didn't rule out the Honda Classic. That seemed odd, but otherwise you have to be encouraged that he said his issues last week were not related to the surgery from last year.
ESPN.com senior golf editor Kevin Maguire: Is a drive down Magnolia Lane now in question for the second straight year? It was unthinkable that Tiger missed the Masters last year, and now it could potentially happen two years in a row? When I thought Tiger might be making history as he got closer to his 40s, I never imagined it would be quite like this.
ESPN Stats & Info Senior Researcher Matt Willis: I can't remember an athlete, especially one with a résumé like Tiger, taking a break because he wasn't playing well enough. But it's clear something hasn't been right with his game in two years. In his nine PGA Tour starts since the start of 2014, Woods has more missed cuts (three) and tournaments withdrawn (three) combined than he's actually completed the full 72 holes (three). And just in the past nine months, he's fallen from first to 62nd in the Official World Golf Rankings, so it's no wonder he needs to step aside to make adjustments.
2. Does Tiger play the Masters?
Collins: I hope not. A guy with a bad back doesn't need to be at one of the hardest walks on tour with very few flat stances or lies. Play Hilton Head; it's flat as a table top (only kind of joking).
Harig: Yes, the guess here is he also plays at Bay Hill in mid-March. Whether or not he is ready is another matter.
Maguire: Unlikely. The last odds I saw were 50-1 that Woods wins another green jacket this year and that was before Wednesday's announcement. If you thought TPC Scottsdale and Torrey Pines showed a few hiccups in his short game these past two weeks on the PGA Tour, what do you think Augusta National will do? He won't risk embarrassing himself on a course where some of the legends of the game once predicted he would earn double-digit victories in his career.
Willis: Tiger's entire year sets up around playing the four majors, and Augusta is his best bet to win another major. Woods has finished sixth or better in eight of his last nine starts in the Masters. Woods has never played at Chambers Bay, site of this year's U.S. Open, and he's winless in two starts at Whistling Straits, site of the PGA Championship. So if Woods is going to win four more majors to catch Jack Nicklaus, it's necessary for him to get in as many starts at Augusta as he can.
3. Why do you think he is even announcing this?
Collins: It gives tournaments like the Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational the chance to adjust their security needs. Sheriffs and police officers are not volunteers, so money saved means more for charities.
Harig: He needed to say something. There had been no word on his status and it was probably wise to let people know that he has recognized he needs some time.
Maguire: That's a great question. He wasn't expected to play for two more weeks, so in reading the tea leaves, that means the Honda Classic is out. And since he won't play the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral because he, shockingly, isn't qualified, that puts him at about month away from the game, at a minimum. He's simply lowering expectations for the foreseeable future.
Willis: The reason of the statement, although it doesn't say so directly, is to basically withdraw from the Honda Classic. It's a tournament he withdrew from last year, and finished tied for 37th at in 2013 -- a season in which he won five times in 16 starts. And with his game in the shape it's in (Woods would rank 208th on tour in strokes gained tee-to-green had he played enough rounds to qualify), it's no wonder he wouldn't put himself back to the test there.
4. Has Tiger lost the trust of his fans?
Collins: Almost. Since the 2008 U.S. Open leg, has the public ever gotten the full story about anything about Tiger's health? Sooner or later even the most ardent supporter will tire of getting the full story after the fact. What would the support from Tiger's fans and the media have been if they knew he was hurt much more than he lets on? We'll never know.
Harig: That is way too general. There are many who don't trust him, but that was the case before this latest injury issue. He's withdrawn from six tournaments in the last five years and some question whether it is legit. And yet, it's clear he's had serious issues that have kept him away from the game, too.
Maguire: There will be always be that contingent of Tiger fan that will trust and believe, mainly because they want to believe in him that he can return to greatness. As time passes, that number appears to be dwindling by the minute.
Willis: Tiger's hardcore fans will always believe he's a threat to win any tournament where he tees it up, but maybe they shouldn't feel safe if they're in his gallery. This year, Woods would rank tied for 211th in driving accuracy percentage (46.4 percent) and tied for 213th in greens in regulation percentage (50 percent) had he played enough rounds to qualify. That's even worse than last year, where Woods would've at least ranked in the top 200.
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