Masters 2021 Update: Tiger Woods Officially Out Of Annual Golf Classic For Third Time

The 2021 Masters Tournament is set from Apr. 5 to 11 at the Augusta National Golf Club but will miss a familiar figure in Tiger Woods.

It appears the 45-year-old will miss out on the annual tournament due to recent back surgery, his third time in six years.

Woods relayed the bad news when he appeared in a CBS broadcast covering the Genesis Open in Los Angeles opposite Jim Nantz.

The future World Golf Hall of Famer adds he has a long way to go before he can return to compete in major golf tournaments.

"God, I hope so," Woods responded on whether he would be joining the annual meet. "I got to get there first."

Woods underwent back surgery last Dec. 23 to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve. It was the same procedure that was done three times in the past.

Aside from that, he also underwent a serious spinal fusion in April 2017 before he returned a year later.

Initially, most thought that the procedure was a minor one and that he would be good to go by Apr. 8. It appears that is not the case.

The five-time Masters champion reveals he is still stiff and needs clearance from doctors before he can get back on the tee.

He has previously missed the Masters in 2016 and 2017 due to back problems. Right now, he is running second to Jack Nicklaus who owns six Masters titles–the most of all-time, TMZ reported.

"A lot of it is based on my surgeons and my doctors and my therapists and making sure that I do it correctly," Woods explained. "This is the only back I got, so I don't have much more wiggle room left here."

Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters, his 15th major title. But things just did not go well for the multi-decorated golfer from there, unable to hack out anything in 2020.

He missed the cut at the U.S. Open and tied for 38th at the Masters, his last official event, ESPN reported.

There is no telling when he would get clearance to play. Woods could return at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, or the Honda Classic.

There is also the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play where he is eligible if he maintains his rank among the Top 64 in the world. He is currently at 50 as of Sunday.