No extended delay again: Tiger Woods to play in…

No extended delay again: Tiger Woods to play in Memorial

Tiger Woods is not taking another long break between majors.

The Masters winner announced Thursday he will play in next week’s Memorial at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.

Woods has won Jack Nicklaus’ annual bash five times, his most recent victory coming in 2012. He won the tournament three consecutive years starting in 1999 and has three other top-5s in 16 starts. He finished in a tie for 23rd in 2018.

Woods is coming off a missed cut in last week’s PGA Championship at Bethpage Black on Long Island. After he won his fifth green jacket by holding off Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele by one shot, Woods bypassed the next four starts on the PGA Tour. Celebrating his 15th major title and first in 11 years, Woods said he was unable to put in the work necessary to be ready to play another tournament.

Tiger Woods watches one of his shots during the final round of the 2018 Memorial at Muirfield Village. Photo: Joe Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports

The hype that followed his emotional Masters victory fell flat in the shadow of New York City. Woods, fighting an undisclosed illness, was far from sharp at Bethpage Black and missed the cut with rounds of 72-73. He finished 17 strokes behind Koepka, who won his fourth major in eight starts, as the two were paired together the first two rounds.

“Just didn’t quite have it,” Woods said after missing the cut. “It’s just the way it goes. Made too many mistakes and just didn’t do the little things I need to do. You know, I had a couple three-putts. I didn’t hit wedges close. I didn’t hit any fairways today. Did a lot of little things wrong.

“The PGA was a quick turnaround, and unfortunately I just didn’t play well.”

No one played better in the game’s history than Woods at Pebble Beach when he won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 shots. He also won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2000, storming back from a 7-shot deficit with seven holes to play. And he finished in a tie for fourth in the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He finished in a tie for 15^th in 2012 at the AT&T Pebble Beach, his most recent there.

His start in the Memorial will likely be his last prep before the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

“There’s no reason why I can’t get up to speed again and crank it back up,” Woods said after missing the cut at Bethpage Black. “I’ve got to start feeling a little bit better first before that happens.

“We’ll do that first and then start cranking it back up again.”