completely healed "This is frustrating," Woods said. "But its s

Tiger Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a quest for another green jacket, announcing Tuesday that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career. Woods said on his website that he had surgery Monday in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for several months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school. The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Masters champion. "After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessary progress, I decided in consultation with my doctors to have this procedure done, Woods said. "Id like to express my disappointment to the Augusta National membership, staff, volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters. "Its a week thats very special to me," he said. "It also looks like Ill be forced to miss several upcoming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy." The Masters gets the highest television ratings of any golf tournament, and Woods commands most of the attention, even though he last won a green jacket in 2005. He won his first Masters in 1997 when he set 20 records, from youngest Masters champion at 21 to his 12-shot margin of victory. "I know Tiger has been working very hard to return to form, and as I have said many times, Tiger has a lot of years of good golf ahead of him," Jack Nicklaus said. "I hate to see him robbed of some of that time by injury. But we all know he is doing what is in the best interest of his health and future. I wish him well on a speedy recovery." Nicklaus played 154 straight majors for which he was eligible until he missed the 1998 British Open because of an ailing left hip that he had replaced a year later. Nicklaus rarely had injury problems in compiling 18 professional majors, the record that Woods wants. Woods has been stuck on 14 majors for six years. Woods has had four surgeries on his left knee, and now his biggest concern is his back. He has been coping with back issues since last summer: a twinge in the final round of the PGA Championship and spasms in the final round of The Barclays that caused him to fall to his knees. Then, they returned with alarming regularity recently in Florida. He withdrew after 13 holes in the final round of the Honda Classic with what he described as lower back pain and spasms. Woods shot the highest final round of his career at Doral a week later when he said his back flared up again in the final round. He skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he was the two-time defending champion, to rest his back and do everything possible to be at Augusta National next week. "Tiger was gracious in keeping us updated of his condition and making us aware of his decision," Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said. "We wholeheartedly offered our best wishes for his immediate and long-term recovery." Woods said he had a microdiscectomy for the pinched nerve, performed by neurosurgeon Charles Rich. A microdiscectomy is a type of minimally invasive spine surgery to relieve pressure and pain caused by a herniated disc. Operating through a small incision in the lower back, surgeons remove small disc fragments that are pressing against spinal nerves. Recovery can take several weeks and doctors typically advise against bending and twisting the back until patients are completely healed "This is frustrating," Woods said. "But its something my doctors advised me to do for my immediate and long-term health." His website said repeating the motion of a golf swing can cause problems with a pinched nerve, and that the injury could have become worse if he had continued to play. Woods said he hopes to return to golf this summer, though he could not say when. Its possible he could at least start chipping and putting in three weeks. He will have to wait until the U.S. Open -- maybe longer -- to resume his quest to match Nicklaus in the majors. Woods won his 14th major at the 2008 U.S. Open on a badly injured left leg that required season-ending surgery two days after his playoff win at Torrey Pines. He has not won another major since then. This would have been the 20th straight Masters for Woods, dating to 1995 when he tied for 41st as the U.S. Amateur champion. He missed the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 after knee surgery, and the U.S. Open and British Open in 2011 to heal more injuries in his left leg. But he never missed the Masters, even after the scandal in his personal life at the end of 2009. Woods had been out of golf for nearly five months dealing with a car crash into a fire hydrant, revelations of multiple extramarital affairs and 45 days in a Mississippi clinic when he returned to Augusta National under intense scrutiny. He tied for fourth. Even though he hasnt won the Masters in nine years, he had only finished out of the top 10 one time, in 2012. Woods has 79 career wins on the PGA Tour, three short of the record held by Sam Snead. He already was off to the worst start of his career. "Its tough right now, but Im absolutely optimistic about the future," Woods said. "There are a couple (of) records by two outstanding individuals and players that I hope one day to break. As Ive said many times, Sam and Jack reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left in mine." Clelin Ferrell Jersey . -- Barry Bonds is all set to return to the San Francisco Giants. John Matuszak Raiders Jersey .com) - Darius Carter and Ron Baker scored 18 points apiece to help 13th-ranked Wichita State beat Evansville 61-41 on Saturday. http://www.shoptheraidersonline.com/Elit...Raiders-Jersey/. Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. Marcus Allen Jersey . Instead, Nonis and Kessel were sorting through the fallout of a wild melee with the Buffalo Sabres, one that saw Kessel suspended for the duration of the pre-season. Willie Brown Womens Jersey . According to a release sent by the league, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were the only team to exceed the cap. Their total salary expenditure of $4,417,975 was $17,975 over the salary cap of $4. WINNIPEG -- Ilya Bryzgalov didnt have to say anything Monday night as the Winnipeg Jets fans did all the talking. Bryzgalov, who is rarely short of words off the ice, stopped all 24 shots his way and Charlie Coyle scored the games only goal as the Minnesota Wild blanked the Jets 1-0. The Russian goaltender was serenaded on more than once occasion by the home crowd with chants of "Il-Ya". He answered the catcalls with a series of arm gestures. "I want to show them get louder," said Bryzgalov, who Minnesota acquired at the trade deadline from Edmonton. "It sounds like a good tradition. "It became a good tradition every time I play here," he added. The Wild victory all but clinched a Western Conference wild-card berth. Minnesota (41-26-12) would need to lose its final three games with Phoenix winning four straight in order to miss the playoffs. Coyles one-timer off a pass from Zach Parise at 1:05 of the second period came just after a penalty to Winnipeg defenceman Mark Stuart had expired. "Mikko (Koivu) made a nice pass down to Zach and Zach just put it through a guy and found me," Coyle said, "And I just tried to throw it on net and it happened to go in, so it was a great play by those guys." The Jets (35-35-10), who will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season stretching back to their time as the Atlanta Thrashers, iced an injury-depleted lineup. With two games remaining and 80 points to their credit, the Jets are assured of finishing behind their 51-point pace of the lockout-shortened 2013 season, which would have extrapolated to 87 points in a full campaign. Michael Hutchinson, a 24-year-old rookie who began the season in the ECHL, made his first career NHL start with regular backup Al Montoya still suffering from a lower-body injury. He wasnt asked to make many difficult stops, but Hutchinsons only blemish on 17 shots came on Coyles one-timer. "I thought I played pretty well," Hutchinson said. "Theres some times where nerves get the best of you and you start over thinking certain situations, but overall I think I gaave the team a chance to win the game.dddddddddddd" Bryzgalov wasnt much busier, but did have a higher degree of difficulty as he picked up his fourth shutout of the season. Bryzgalov is now 6-0-3 since joining his new club. "They keep the game simple for mea let me see the shots. They block a lot of shots," Bryzgalov said about his teammates. "I just go on the ice and play hard to try to give the team a chance to win the game. The guys play in front of me unbelievable." The shots were 7-6 Jets in the first period and 7-5 Wild in the second, as neither team could generate any offence. The third period was wide open by comparison, with Winnipeg sending 12 pucks at Bryzgalov. Even four power-play chances couldnt help the Jets find the back of the net. "Whenever your goalie is giving you performances like that your penalty kill is going to be better," said Wild coach Mike Yeo, who added that hes pleased with the improvement his teams penalty kill has shown in the stretch run. Winnipeg winger Evander Kane, who was a healthy scratch Saturday night in Toronto for reportedly being late to a team meeting, was back in the lineup. He managed just one shot on goal and was on the ice for Coyles goal. "Theyre an aggressive penalty kill, like ours," Kane said. "Special teams is what won the game tonight. Its tough when you lose 1-0, because youve got to score at least one to win." The Jets wrap up their home schedule Thursday night against Boston, and finish their season the next night in Calgary. Minnesota returns home to face Boston, St. Louis and Nashville. Notes: Jets captain Andrew Ladd missed his first game due to injury since the 2010-11 season, while Dustin Byfuglien (torn muscle) is done for the season. a Still on the Jets injured list were forwards Chris Thorburn