Tiger to miss the Open as comeback falters again

Tiger Woods's rehabilitation has been dealt another blow after the former world number one was forced to pull out of the Open Championship at Sandwich because of the leg injury that has kept him sidelined since May.

But with every passing major the news of Tiger's absence is less and less shocking, especially now that Rory McIlroy has established him as the hottest thing on the golfing circuit and gobbled up Woods's limelight. So whereas once the news would have been a disaster for the organisers, now it is unlikely to illicit much more than shrug from most golf fans.

Woods, who is now ranked 17th in the world, has not won a major since the 2008 US Open, although he has managed six top 10 finishes in the nine tournaments he has entered since then. There must now be serious questions about whether his left knee is up to the rigours of top level golf.

The 35-year-old sprained a ligament in the joint playing an awkward lie at the Masters last April. He attempted to compete at the Players Championship in May but was forced to withdraw after nine holes, having shot a six-over 42.

Woods announced his withdrawal in a statement on his website where he explained: "I am only going to come back when I'm 100 per cent ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That's different for me, but I'm being smarter this time."

He said that he should not have played at the Players Championship. "I've got to learn from what I did there and do it right this time and not come back until I'm ready," he said.

Woods tried to sound an optimistic note by stating: "I think my best years are still ahead of me and I'm very confident and optimistic about the future." However, with every passing major his influence wanes.

He is now expected to return at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on August 4-7. It was at the same tournament last year that Woods carded the worst score of his career, a shocking 18 over par that left him in 78th place.

That came as details of his messy divorce from Elen Nordegren were being finalised, and 18-months after the sex scandal that capsized his world Woods is still desperate to prove that his personal troubles are behind him. But before he can do that he must overcome his physical ones, and make sure that there is an audience who want to see him play. ·