Tiger Woods to miss Arnold Palmer Invitational, says 'there's no timetable for return'

Former number one Tiger Woods will miss the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the fourth straight year and has said that he "has no timetable for his return" to the sport.

Wood has announced on his website as well as his official Twitter handle that ongoing rest and rehabilitation on his back will keep him away from Bay Hill and from the tournament he has won a record eight times.

"Unfortunately, due to ongoing rest and rehabilitation on my back, I won't be able to play in this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational. I'm especially disappointed because I wanted to be at Bay Hill to help honor Arnold."

This will be the first tournament at Bay Hill since Palmer's death at age 87 in September. The tournament began in 1979.

"This is one event I didn't want to skip. Arnold has meant so much to me and my family; I thought of him as a close friend, and Sam and Charlie were both born in the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. He will be greatly missed and can never truly be replaced."

"Presently, I have no timetable for my return to golf, but my treatments are continuing and going well," he added.