Tiger Woods was desperately trying to play the Masters, but Donald Trump just leaked the final decision

It looks like Tiger Woods won’t be competing at the upcoming Masters tournament, according to an announcement from President Donald Trump. This is a tough blow for golf fans, especially since Woods himself has been hinting he’s been trying desperately to get ready.

Trump shared the update during a recent appearance, though he didn’t explain how he got the information. “I love Tiger Woods, but he won’t be there. He’ll be there, but he won’t be playing in it,” Trump said. The comment stands out even more given Woods is currently dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. These types of high-profile revelations are common for Trump, who also recently claimed that JFK Jr. would have ultimately become president.

According to Daily Mail, Woods has been pretty open about his desire to play, even saying he’s “trying” to make it to Augusta. He also confirmed his plans to attend the Champions Dinner, which is a tradition for past winners, so we’ll definitely still see him around. You just know he’s itching to get back out there on the course.

So yeah, looks like Tiger’s not playing after all

The 50-year-old golf legend recently made his return to the greens, though it sounds like it was a bit of a rough ride. He admitted he “got his a** kicked” during his long-awaited comeback. Woods and his team, Jupiter Links GC, ended up losing the finals of the second season of TGL. It’s never fun to lose, but at least he’s back in the swing of things. His girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, was there to support him, bringing her daughter Kai along for the event. It’s always great to see that kind of personal support.

When Woods himself was asked about The Masters, he wasn’t exactly committing one way or the other, which makes President Trump’s definitive statement all the more surprising. Woods insisted, “I’ve been trying. It’s just this body doesn’t recover like when I was 24, 25. It doesn’t mean I’m not trying, I’ve been trying for a while.” You can really feel the frustration in that statement. It just shows how grueling professional golf can be on a body, especially after years of competition and injuries.

He went on to explain his struggles, saying, “I’ve had a couple of back injuries the past year that I’ve had to fight through and it’s taken some time. But I keep trying.” It sounds like he’s putting in the work, but his body just isn’t cooperating as quickly as he’d like. “I want to play, I’ve loved the tournament, I’ve loved being there since I was 19 years old. So it’s meant a lot to me and my family over the years and I’m going to be there either way.” That’s the spirit we love to see from Tiger, a true competitor even when sidelined.

Woods remained noncommittal about his timeline, stating, “I don’t know, we’ll see how it goes,” while noting he’ll “keep trying to make progress” at home this week.