Tiger kept winning despite pain in his knee

Published 8:47 pm Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The U.S. Open figured to be the closest to a sure thing for Tiger Woods in the majors this year, but maybe not anymore.

Two days after his quest for a Grand Slam fizzled at the Masters, Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee for the second time in five years and will miss at least four weeks while he recovers.

The announcement, which Woods made Tuesday night on his Web site, was a surprise to everyone except those around him.

“He’s been having a lot of trouble,” swing coach Hank Haney said. “He doesn’t talk about stuff like that. He doesn’t want to use excuses, you know? I don’t think it affected his play. It affected his practice a little bit.”

Tuesday’s surgery was performed in Park City, Utah, by Thomas Rosenberg, who also operated on Woods’ left knee in December 2002. Woods also had surgery in 1994 on his left knee to remove a benign tumor.

“I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters,” Woods said on his Web site. “The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can.”

But he will not be able to defend his title in two weeks at the Wachovia Championship. And he most likely will miss The Players Championship the week after, one of just three non-majors he has never missed since turning pro. Provided rehab goes as expected, Woods hopes to return at the Memorial on May 29.

The U.S. Open begins June 12 at Torrey Pines, where Woods has won the Buick Invitational six times, including an eight-shot victory this year.

But it was not necessarily a pain-free affair.

“Tiger has been experiencing pain in his knee since the middle of last year, and when he had it looked at by his doctors, arthroscopic surgery was recommended,” said Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent at IMG.

Steinberg said the surgery repaired cartilage damage. The 2002 surgery drained fluid from around the anterior cruciate ligament and removed a benign cyst.

Woods has a remarkable track record when returning from a long layoff. After the 2002 surgery, he won three of his first four events, including an 11-shot victory at Bay Hill.

This will be the second time in two years, however, that he missed a chunk of time between the Masters and the U.S. Open. He sat out nine weeks in 2006 to cope with the May death of his father, not returning until the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. He missed the cut for the only time in a major since he turned pro.

In the meantime, his absence is a blow to the Wachovia Championship and to The Players Championship, which is often regarded as the fifth major.

“Of course, we’re disappointed when Tiger is unable to compete in a PGA Tour event,” commissioner Tim Finchem said on the tour’s Web site. “There is really never a good time for an athlete — especially one of Tiger’s caliber — to take weeks off from competition during the season. But his health concerns have to come first.”

Of greater concern might be the fact Woods has gone through surgery twice on the same knee in five years. He has looked immortal at times on the golf course, already winning 64 times on the PGA Tour, including 13 majors, second only to Jack Nicklaus.

Could this slow the pursuit? Woods won 30 times and five majors since his last surgery, and Haney expects a return to greatness.

Said Haney: “This is something he’s already used to.”