Ikarusbusse » missed the Masters, even after the scandal in his personal l

Tiger Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a quest for another green jacket, announcing Tuesday that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career. Woods said on his website that he had surgery Monday in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for several months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school. The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Masters champion. "After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessary progress, I decided in consultation with my doctors to have this procedure done, Woods said. "Id like to express my disappointment to the Augusta National membership, staff, volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters. "Its a week thats very special to me," he said. "It also looks like Ill be forced to miss several upcoming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy." The Masters gets the highest television ratings of any golf tournament, and Woods commands most of the attention, even though he last won a green jacket in 2005. He won his first Masters in 1997 when he set 20 records, from youngest Masters champion at 21 to his 12-shot margin of victory. "I know Tiger has been working very hard to return to form, and as I have said many times, Tiger has a lot of years of good golf ahead of him," Jack Nicklaus said. "I hate to see him robbed of some of that time by injury. But we all know he is doing what is in the best interest of his health and future. I wish him well on a speedy recovery." Nicklaus played 154 straight majors for which he was eligible until he missed the 1998 British Open because of an ailing left hip that he had replaced a year later. Nicklaus rarely had injury problems in compiling 18 professional majors, the record that Woods wants. Woods has been stuck on 14 majors for six years. Woods has had four surgeries on his left knee, and now his biggest concern is his back. He has been coping with back issues since last summer: a twinge in the final round of the PGA Championship and spasms in the final round of The Barclays that caused him to fall to his knees. Then, they returned with alarming regularity recently in Florida. He withdrew after 13 holes in the final round of the Honda Classic with what he described as lower back pain and spasms. Woods shot the highest final round of his career at Doral a week later when he said his back flared up again in the final round. He skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he was the two-time defending champion, to rest his back and do everything possible to be at Augusta National next week. "Tiger was gracious in keeping us updated of his condition and making us aware of his decision," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said. "We wholeheartedly offered our best wishes for his immediate and long-term recovery." Woods said he had a microdiscectomy for the pinched nerve, performed by neurosurgeon Charles Rich. A microdiscectomy is a type of minimally invasive spine surgery to relieve pressure and pain caused by a herniated disc. Operating through a small incision in the lower back, surgeons remove small disc fragments that are pressing against spinal nerves. Recovery can take several weeks and doctors typically advise against bending and twisting the back until patients are completely healed "This is frustrating," Woods said. "But its something my doctors advised me to do for my immediate and long-term health." His website said repeating the motion of a golf swing can cause problems with a pinched nerve, and that the injury could have become worse if he had continued to play. Woods said he hopes to return to golf this summer, though he could not say when. Its possible he could at least start chipping and putting in three weeks. He will have to wait until the U.S. Open -- maybe longer -- to resume his quest to match Nicklaus in the majors. Woods won his 14th major at the 2008 U.S. Open on a badly injured left leg that required season-ending surgery two days after his playoff win at Torrey Pines. He has not won another major since then. This would have been the 20th straight Masters for Woods, dating to 1995 when he tied for 41st as the U.S. Amateur champion. He missed the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 after knee surgery, and the U.S. Open and British Open in 2011 to heal more injuries in his left leg. But he never missed the Masters, even after the scandal in his personal life at the end of 2009. Woods had been out of golf for nearly five months dealing with a car crash into a fire hydrant, revelations of multiple extramarital affairs and 45 days in a Mississippi clinic when he returned to Augusta National under intense scrutiny. He tied for fourth. Even though he hasnt won the Masters in nine years, he had only finished out of the top 10 one time, in 2012. Woods has 79 career wins on the PGA Tour, three short of the record held by Sam Snead. He already was off to the worst start of his career. "Its tough right now, but Im absolutely optimistic about the future," Woods said. "There are a couple (of) records by two outstanding individuals and players that I hope one day to break. As Ive said many times, Sam and Jack reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left in mine." Custom Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys .75 million contract for the 2014 season and avoided arbitration. The team announced the agreement on Tuesday. Matt Andriese Jersey .James scored 29 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a four-game losing streak with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night. http://www.officialraysgearshop.com/Rays-Jesus-Sucre-Kids-Jersey/ . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Wilson Ramos Jersey . Not Peyton Manning. Hes holding on to the heartache to stoke his competitive fire. Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up. SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. -- Winnipegs Mike McEwen remains the only undefeated skip at the Players Championship after he edged Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., 7-6 in Draw 12 action Friday afternoon. McEwen (5-0) scored four points in the fourth end and broke a 6-6 tie with a single in the eighth. It was his second victory of the day after he beat Torontos John Epping (3-2) 7-4 in the morning draw. Jacobs (3-2), won his final game of the evening, 7-4 over Winnipegs Jeff Stoughton (2-3). Jacobs scored two points each in the first and fourth ends, and added three more in the sixth to seal the victory after seven ends. Stoughton topped Switzerlands Sven Michel 6-2 earlier in the day, and Epping downed Niklas Edin of Sweden 7-4 in the evening draw. Kevin Martin (3-2), who announced Friday that hell retire following the tournament, scored singles in the fifth, sixth, and seventh ends to beat Calgarys Kevin Koe 5-2 in the afternoon draw.dddddddddddd Earlier in the day, Martin defeated Scotlands David Murdoch 5-3. Koe (4-1) edged Glen Howard (1-4) of Coldwater, Ont., 8-6 in the afternoon draw. Brad Gushue is 4-1 after toppling Saskatoons Steve Laycock 8-4 in Draw 11. On the womens side, Switzerlands Silvana Trinzoni, Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson, and Scotlands Eve Muirhead are tied for top spot with 4-1 records. Ottawas Rachel Homan, Saskatoons Stefanie Lawton, and Winnipegs Jennifer Jones are all 3-2 with clinched playoff berths. Homan scored three points in the eighth end to edge Michele Jaggi of Switzerland 7-5 in her only match of the day Friday morning. Jones, meanwhile, fell 7-1 to Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont., in her morning matchup. Lawton staved off a late comeback attempt by Calgarys Crystal Webster for a 5-3 victory in the afternoon draw. 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