Tiger Woods to skip Memorial following surgery

Tiger Woods decided Friday not to play in the Memorial as he recovers from knee surgery, meaning he likely will go to the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines without having played a tournament in two months.

Woods, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee April 15, was hopeful of playing before the U.S. Open. But his office notified the PGA Tour that he would not enter the Memorial, a tour official said.

This is the second time in three years that Woods has had a two-month layoff before a major championship. He missed nine weeks in 2006 while coping with the death of his father, returning to the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and missing the cut for the only time in a major.

“Tiger was looking forward to playing at the Memorial,” said Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG. “But unfortunately, the timing of his recovery will not allow him to do so.”