Tiger Woods not tournament ready, will miss Honda Classic

Tiger Woods’ game still isn’t tournament ready and the former No. 1 golfer in the world has decided not to play in next week’s Honda Classic in Palm Beach, Fla., according to the Golf Channel.

“I got a call this afternoon from Mark Steinberg on behalf of Tiger,” tournament director Ken Kennerly said in a statement. “He wanted to let us know that Tiger is not going to play in the Honda Classic. He has been working on his game this week and feels as though he is not tournament ready to play next week.”

Woods announced last week that he would be taking an indefinite leave from golf after missing the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and withdrawing from Farmers Insurance Open with a back injury.

“I’d like to play The Honda Classic -- it’s a tournament in my hometown and it’s important to me -- but I won’t be there unless my game is tournament-ready,” Woods said in a statement on his website announcing his leave. “That’s not fair to anyone. I do, however, expect to be playing again very soon.”

How soon remains the question.

Woods won’t qualify to play in the upcoming WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral (March 5-8) in Florida because he’s outside of the top 50 players in the world golf rankings. He’s currently No. 66.

Beyond that he could return for the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla. (March 12-15), but that appears unlikely since he’s never played in that tournament before.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Fla. (March 26-29), presents another option for Woods. It’s also the same tournament he’s won eight times, with the last coming in 2013.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme