Recovering Woods to skip Augusta Masters

Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods has confirmed that he will not be able to participate in next week's Augusta Masters as he is ' not physically ready' for the opening major of the year.

The 40-year-old, who saw his form take a dip after suffering a series of back injuries since 2013, hasn't played competitively since August last year.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, stated on his website that it was prudent to miss this year's Masters considering the present condition of his back and consulting with his medical team, the Guardian reported.

He said that he has been hitting balls and training daily but admitted that he decided to withdraw from the tournament considering his current health and in order to prolong his career.