Golf: McDowell gets Masters chance after Woods' exit

Published on Tuesday 1 December 2009 08:50

TIGER WOODS has chosen to stay out of the media glare rather than face questions today regarding his car accident.

Golf's world No.1 and 14-time major winner withdrew from his own tournament last night citing the injuries he sustained in Friday's car crash.

Woods, 33, had been due to play in the 18 player Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, an annual tournament he hosts to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation and which he has won four times.

He was last night replaced in the field by Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell while, as part of his hosting duties, he had also been scheduled to hold a pre-event press conference later today, only for tournament officials to cancel it. At 55th in the world McDowell suddenly has a chance to climb into the end-of-year top 50 and with it secure a place in April's Masters at Augusta.

This is the first year that the World Challenge has carried ranking points.

Vijay Singh is another withdrawal and he has been replaced by American Justin Leonard.

The no-show has denied the media a first opportunity to speak to Woods directly about last week's incident which left him briefly unconsciousness and needing hospital treatment for facial lacerations.

The car crash left him with cuts and bruises when his 4x4 hit a fire hydrant and a tree early on Friday outside his home in a gated Florida community. A neighbour who called 911 after Woods ran over the hydrant and into a tree said he was unconscious and laying outside his 4x4. His wife told Windermere police she used a golf club to smash the back windows to help him out. Woods was treated and released at a hospital after the accident, and has not been seen in public since.

Woods yesterday released his second brief statement on his official website. On Sunday he took full responsibility for the accident and last night gave little away except for outlining his decision not to play.

The statement on www.tigerwoods.com read: "Due to injuries sustained in a one-car accident last week, Tiger Woods will be unable to play in the 2009 Chevron World Challenge.

"I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week. I am certain it will be an outstanding event and I'm very sorry that I can't be there."

The Chevron World Challenge was Woods' last scheduled event of 2009 and Woods added that he would "return to action next year".