Tiger Woods out of US Open on advice from his doctors

The three-time winner has not recovered from the knee and Achilles injuries which forced him out of the Players Championship at Sawgrass after just nine holes a month ago and will not be in the field at Congressional.

"I am extremely disappointed that I won't be playing in the US Open, but it's time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future," said Woods, who recorded one of the most remarkable wins of his career at Torrey Pines in 2008 as he hobbled his way to the title despite a ruptured cruciate ligament in his knee and a double stress fracture of the left tibia.

"I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg. My knee and Achilles tendon are not fully healed.

"I hope to be ready for AT&T National (on 30 June-3 July), the next two majors and the rest of the year."

Woods suffered the injuries hitting a second shot from under a tree in the third round at this year's Masters. He missed the Wells Fargo Championship and then pulled out at Sawgrass in the first round after reinjuring his leg on the opening tee shot and then taking 42 shots - only one off his worst ever - on the front nine.

"It's been a frustrating and difficult year, but I'm committed to my long-term health," added Woods, who has slipped dramatically to world No 15 over the past few weeks.

Mike Davis, executive director of the United States Golf Association, said of Woods' withdrawal: "We're very disappointed that he won't be playing in the national Open. He certainly brings Richie Ramsay: First alternate excitement to the event. He'll be missed, but the US Open will go on. The event is bigger than one player, but he certainly will be missed."

Next week's defending champion Graeme McDowell described it as "a massive blow". He added: "There have been question marks over his health for the last couple of months. When I saw him hobbling through the locker-room at the Players Championship the warning signs were there. We all hope as golfers that his health can come back. We thought he'd be ready for the US Open.

"Tiger plays his cards close to his chest and it's pretty difficult to know what's going on, but obviously this is a lot more serious than we thought.

"Golf needs him. His quest to beat Jack Nicklaus' record (of 18 majors) is one of the great golf stories and we hope he gets better soon.

"Whether he can get back to his best is the question. We all look at the way his last couple of years have gone and now there are questions over his physical health. He has been golf for the last 15 years and there's no doubt we need him back, but his mental health is one question and his physical health is now another.

"Will he be back? Nobody knows at the minute - there's obviously a lot going on.

"But whoever picks up that trophy next week there's not going to be an asterisk against the name saying Tiger Woods did not play. They will be a deserving champion."

Despite Woods setting his sights on being back by the end of the month, there has to be a big question mark now over whether he will make the trip to Sandwich for The Open on 14-17 July. He finished fourth there in 2003 after losing a ball with his opening shot of the championship, but will presumably take advice on whether it is in his best interests to fly to England and compete on a course with more humps and hollows than other Open venues.

Woods added on his Twitter site: "Not playing in US Open. Very disappointed. Short-term frustration for long-term gain."

The 35-year-old still needs four more majors to equal the record for major wins and on that he said last month: "It's one of the things that drives me in this game. It took Jack 24 years (1962-1986) to do what he did. I still have plenty of time. I just want to be healthy and solid and I feel like I can give it a go."

The replacement for Woods is 23-year-old Texan amateur Michael Whitehead, who lost a three-man play-off for two spots at a qualifier in Dallas on Monday. Dane Anders Hansen has also withdrawn because of injury. His place goes to American tour player Jason Dufner, who lost a two-man play-off in Georgia, leaving Richie Ramsay still on the reserve list last night after another frustrating day for the Aberdonian.

A week after he arrived back minutes too late for a play-off in the qualifying event at Walton Heath, it was reported yesterday that the 27-year-old had secured one of two extra spots allocated by the USGA.

It later transpired, however, that only one additional spot had become free and that had gone to Dane Andreas Harto, who was pipped in the play-off last Monday by Swede Johan Edfors as Ramsay was making his way back to the course after missing a flight to Belfast so that he could attend the wedding reception of Tour colleague Gareth Maybin.

"Richie is not in the US Open," confirmed the Scot's manager, Marcus Day. "We have exchanged some emails with the USGA today (following the report] and he is now the first alternate. We are delighted he is a step closer as we think it is a course that would suit him. We will be keeping in close contact with the USGA in the hope there will be another withdrawal."

USGA spokesman Pete Kowalski apologised for Ramsay's hopes having been raised by the incorrect report. He told The Scotsman: "There was a miscommunication regarding Richie Ramsay. He is still an alternate for the US Open."

A former US Amateur champion who has a house in Atlanta, Ramsay is now in Turin for the Italian Open starting tomorrow but whether it is next stop Washington, where fellow Scots Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher will definitely be in the field for the second major of the season, remains to be seen.

Sergio Garcia qualified from a seven-man play-off in Memphis to book a spot at Congressional.