Knee injury forces Tiger out of PGA event

Former world No.1 Tiger Woods will not play next week’s US PGA event in Charlotte because of a sprained left knee ligament and strained left Achilles tendon suffered at the Masters.

Woods said Tuesday on his website and in a Twitter posting that he would miss the $US6.5 million ($A6.1 million) Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow where Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is the defending champion.

“I personally contacted tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play,” Woods said. “This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors’ orders to get better.”

Woods, who has not won since his infamous sex scandal erupted 17 months ago, said there is no time frame for his return but that he hoped to be back in a few weeks.

“Minor injury keeps me from playing Wells Fargo next week. Apologies to tourney & fans, but working hard to get healthy,” Woods posted on his Twitter microblogging site. That could open the door for Woods to play at the $US9.5 million ($A8.91 million) Players Championship the following week, the Memorial tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus on June 2-5 and the US Open near Washington on June 16-19. Woods said he suffered a mild left knee ligament sprain and a left Achilles tendon strain from hitting a second shot from an awkward angle under a tree left of the 17th fairway in the third round of the Masters.

Woods charged into contention the following day at the Masters, sharing the lead on the back nine before settling for a share of fourth behind winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, and decided later to seek a medical evaluation.

Doctors advised Woods, whose current ranking of sixth is just one spot ahead of McIlroy, to rest and he said that soft tissue treatment would take place later this week.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, is chasing the record 18 career major titles won by Nicklaus.

But he has not won a major since the 2008 US Open and has been hindered by nagging injuries in recent years.