• WGC-Cadillac Championship

Woods withdrawal sparks Masters fears

ESPN staff
March 11, 2012
Tiger Woods endured an unhappy fourth round © Getty Images
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Doubts have emerged over Tiger Woods' Masters preparations after he had to withdraw from the WGC-Cadillac Championship on Sunday.

Woods endured an uncomfortable final day in Florida, hitting several bogeys as any attempt to challenge quickly subsided. The former world No. 1 went from water to sand in an uncharacteristic display, which he eventually brought to an abrupt end.

Hints of Woods' problem began with consecutive dropped shots at six and seven. He then later changed his footwear in a bid to aid his movement.

However, it was his left Achilles giving him strife, and further problems at 10 and 11 proved the final straw. Woods was seen getting a buggy back to the car park, where he instantly leapt into a black car to leave the tournament.

"I felt tightness in my left Achilles warming up this morning, and it continued to get progressively worse," Woods said in a statement. "After hitting my tee shot at 12, I decided it was necessary to withdraw. In the past, I may have tried to continue to play, but this time, I decided to do what I thought was necessary."

With the Masters only four weeks away, the American's withdrawal comes at an extremely concerning time and creates doubts over his participation in the first major of the year.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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