Thursday 23 February 2017 21:26, UK
Pat Perez believes Tiger Woods "knows he can't beat anybody" and predicted we could have seen the last of him this season, and possibly for good.
Woods is expected to issue a statement on his condition on Friday after his back problems flared up again following a first-round 77 at the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this month, a week after he missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open.
The 14-time major winner, who returned to competitive golf in December after almost 16 months out following back surgery, withdrew from the second round in Dubai and has since pulled out of the Genesis Open and this week's Honda Classic on medical advice.
Woods is running out of time to get himself fit for the Masters in early April, and Perez insists he could be done for the year if he is unable to tee up at Augusta National.
Speaking on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio as co-host of the show "Out of Bounds", Perez said: "He's the biggest name in the game, he is the needle-mover, he is the needle. He is everything in the game today still until he walks away, he is always going to be the name. He is the game of golf as we know it today.
"But he's got this new corporation that he started, so he's got to keep his name relevant to keep the corporation going. He's going to show up to a few events, he's going to try to play.
"He's gotta go out there and show the Monster Bag, he's going to show the TaylorMade driver. He's going to get on TV, he's got the Nike clothes, he's gotta keep that stuff relevant. But the bottom line is he knows he can't beat anybody. He knows it.
"The guy shot 77. That guy can't shoot 77. And what does he do the next day? 'Oh, my back's gone.' He knows he can't beat anybody! He's just not gonna come out and play poorly.
"If he doesn't play Augusta, then it's over. I can tell you that right now. Personally, I don't think you'll see him again this year. I think he's out, and I don't think you'll see him again. The only thing he's going to care about is Augusta. It's not like he's got his favourite major courses after Augusta."
Woods was scheduled to attend a pre-tournament press conference at Riviera last week as the Genesis Open is one of the PGA Tour events to benefit his foundation, but he was forced to cancel his trip as his doctors had advised him to "remain horizontal" as he continues to battle back spasms.
He is ineligible for next week's WGC-Mexico Championship, where Rory McIlroy will play for the first time since January after recovering from a stress fracture in his ribs, so Woods' next target will be to play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational which starts on March 16.
