Tiger Woods has back surgery, will miss the Masters

Golfer Tiger Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a quest for another green jacket, announcing Tuesday that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career. The 38-year-old said on his website that he had surgery Monday for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school. The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Masters champion. “After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessary progress, I decided in consultation with my doctors to have this procedure done,” Woods said. “It’s a week that’s very special to me,” he said. “It also looks like I’ll be forced to miss several upcoming tournaments.” – AP