Tiger Woods will not play in Players Championship, unknown if he will play before Masters

Tiger Woods said his goal is to play in all four majors and a few more tournaments, but a “fifth major” won’t be one of them.
Woods did not sign up for The Players Championship before Friday’s deadline, so he will not be in the field.
The 47-year-old played in The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles last month and finished 45th, just making the cut.
Click here for more sports coverage on FOXNEWS.COM
Tiger Woods plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 16, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
“As I told you last year, I’m probably not going to play more than the majors and maybe nothing else,” Woods said after Genesis. “That’s it, my whole body will allow me to do it. With my back the way it is, all the surgeries I’ve had on my back, the way my leg is, I can’t. This is going to be my future. .
“So last year my intention was to play in all four majors, I got three out of four. Hopefully this year I can get all four and maybe sprinkle in a few here and there. But it’s my That’s for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That’s my reality.”
But if Woods is in a tournament, he’s there to win, despite being on the back-nine of his career.

Tiger Woods watches a shot during the second round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 20, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Woods is clearly eyeing next month’s Masters, but it is now unknown whether he will play before then.
The 15-time major champion reminded everyone before Genesis that he’s not ready to be just a golf ambassador, even though his time is very limited.
“I haven’t come across the idea of being [a ceremonial golfer]. If I’m playing, I’m playing to win,” Woods Told the media Before playing at Riviera. “I know the players have played, and they are ambassadors of the game and try to push the game forward. I can’t wrap my mind around that as a competitor. If I’m playing in this event, I Gonna try. And beat you. I’m in for the ‘W.’
“Making a cut is a great thing. If I enter the event, it’s always to get a ‘W.’ sooner rather than later. But I wrap my head around that change and play an ambassador role and just play and try to come out here. Guys? No, it’s not in my DNA.”

Tiger Woods plays the second shot on the 13th hole during the second round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 17, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Click here to get the Fox News app
Woods is currently in the second-longest tournament drought of his career – he previously did not win from 2013 to 2018, but won, then won, the Tour Championship to return to the top. 2019 Masters Seven months later.
Woods is a two-time winner of The Players Championship (2001, 2013), and defending champion Cameron Smith is ineligible for jumping into LIV Golf.