• US Open

McDowell fears for Tiger's future

ESPN staff
June 8, 2011
Graeme McDowell hopes Tiger Woods will return to his best form © Getty Images
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Graeme McDowell has raised doubts over Tiger Woods' future in the sport.

As McDowell prepares to defend his US Open title, one man who will not be at Congressional next week is Woods, who pulled out with knee and Achilles injuries.

Woods has slipped to 15th in the world rankings and McDowell admits Woods may never return to form that saw him claim 14 majors.

Woods has not won a title since November 2009, shortly before he took a break from the sport following revelations about his private life. He returned to action at The Masters last year, but his form has been hampered by injury and inconsistency.

"We all look at the way his last couple of years has gone and now there are questions over his physical health," McDowell told Sky Sports. "Will he be back? Nobody knows at the minute - there's obviously a lot going on. His mental health is one question and his physical health is now another.

"When I saw him hobbling through the locker room at the Players Championship the warning signs were there, but 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.

"His quest to beat Jack Nicklaus's record is one of the great golf stories and we hope he gets better soon."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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