Tiger Woods opts to skip Honda Classic for second straight year
Tiger Woods will bypass an opportunity to play near his South Florida home next week as he is skipping the Honda Classic.
Woods did not enter the tournament by Friday's deadline, deciding to skip the event in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for the second straight year.
The decision was not a surprise based on what Woods said Sunday after finishing last among players who made the cut at the Genesis Invitational.
"I was just off -- it happens,'' said Woods, who also skipped this week's WGC-Mexico Championship. "I'm off and I got a chance to have the week off this week and do a little prep, a little practicing, some training, be at home and all positive things.''
Woods said he was plagued by back stiffness at the event he hosts as he posted his first two over-par rounds of the 2019-20 season.
The 295, 11-over-par effort was his worst 72-hole score at the Genesis Invitational and just the second time in his career he finished last among those who made the cut.
Woods was 68th, 22 shots back of winner Adam Scott. At the 2015 Memorial, Woods shot a third-round 85 -- his worst as a pro -- and teed off last on Sunday before finishing last in the field, 8 shots back of the second-to-last finisher.
In three official tournaments this season, Woods won the Zozo Championship for his 82nd PGA Tour win, tied for ninth at the Farmers Insurance Open and finished 68th at Riviera. He also finished fourth in the unofficial Hero World Challenge. He is ranked ninth in the world.
Woods has played the Honda Classic five times, finishing 12th in his most recent appearance in 2018. His best showing was a tie for second in 2012 behind winner Rory McIlroy. It is also the place where he withdrew with fewer than nine holes to play in 2014 due to back issues that a month later led to the first of four procedures.
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