Tiger Woods skipping Honda Classic for second consecutive year

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods will skip an opportunity to play near his South Florida home next week at the Honda Classic.

Woods didn't enter the tournament before Friday's 5 p.m. EST deadline, according to ESPN and the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Jupiter Island resident also skipped this week's WGC-Mexico Championship.

It marked the second consecutive year that Woods opted to skip the Honda Classic. His decision to bypass the event wasn't surprising based on what the 44-year-old golfer said Sunday after a last-place finish among players who made the cut at the Genesis Invitational.

"I was just off -- it happens," Woods said. "I'm off and I got a chance to have the week off this week and do a little prep, a little practicing, some training, be at home and all positive things."

Woods said he was impacted by back stiffness at the tournament, posting his first two over-par rounds of this season.

In three official tournaments this season, Woods won the Zozo Championship for his 82nd PGA Tour win, tied for ninth at the Farmers Insurance Open and finished in 68th at the Genesis Invitational.

Woods, who is ranked ninth in the world, has played in the Honda Classic five times, finishing in 12th place in his most recent appearance at the event in 2018. His best outing was a tie for second in 2012 behind winner Rory McIlroy.