Instead of offering Tiger Woods a chance to move closer to the all-time record of 18 major titles won by Jack Nicklaus, the 111th US Open shows why Woods might never catch his boyhood idol. Woods, a 14-time major champion, will miss the US Open for the first time since 1994 because of strained left knee ligaments and a sprained left Achilles tendon suffered at the Masters, the latest in a series of nagging injuries. “It’s time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future,” Woods said. “I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg. My knee and Achilles tendon are not fully healed.” Woods has not won a title in 22 starts over the past 20 months, the longest drought of his career. He has not won a major since the 2008 US Open, a run of 12 events after next week, three of those he will have missed due to injury. Despite four knee operations, including reconstructive surgery after limping to his third US Open crown in a 2008 playoff, Woods still says that he has what it takes to pass Nicklaus.
