Woods rules himself out of Ryder Cup

Tiger Woods ruled himself out of contention for a wildcard spot on the US Ryder Cup team due to lingering back problems on Wednesday and has been told by doctors not to play or practice until his condition improves, the former world number one said.

Woods, who had surgery in March to treat a pinched nerve and has played just eight tournaments this year, asked US captain Tom Watson not to consider him for one of three wildcard picks for the biennial team competition against Europe next month. Watson will announce his three picks on September 2 to complete his 12-man team to take on holders Europe at Gleneagles in Scotland from Sept 26-28.

“While I greatly appreciate Tom thinking about me for a possible captain's pick, I must take myself out of consideration,” Woods said in a statement.

“I've been told by my doctors and trainer that my back muscles need to be rehabilitated and healed. They've advised me not to play or practice now. I'm extremely disappointed that I won't be ready for the competition. “The US team and the Ryder Cup mean too much to me not to be able to give it my best. I'll be cheering for the US team. I think we have an outstanding squad going into the matches.”Woods, a 14-times major winner, said on his official website that he planned to return to competition for the Dec 4-7 World Challenge tournament which he hosts, to be played this year in Orlando, Florida.

“It's an event that's important to me and my foundation, and it will be exciting to be playing again,” he said. “I was fortunate that my recent back injury was not related to my surgery and was muscular only.”

Woods has struggled for form since recovering from back surgery in late March and missed the cut at last week's PGA Championship, only the fourth missed cut of his professional career in a major.

Though he had pronounced himself fit to compete in the year's final major after recovering from back spasms that forced him to withdraw from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational the previous week, he looked rusty and out-of-sorts.