After the worst and most disappointing year of Tiger Woods major championship career, the superstar golfer this week decided to withdraw from this year's Ryder Cup competition.

Woods notified 64-year-old Tom Watson, who is the team captain of the American squad this year, that he will not be playing. He called Watson by phone citing health as the main issue.

This year, Woods was unable to play at the Masters and the U.S. Open because of back surgery. He placed 69th at the British Open, and his performance at the PGA Championship resulted in a cut after two days of play. With so much going on Woods' life and his health questionable at best, Woods made the right decision.

Woods has already participated in seven Ryder Cup tournaments, going back to 1997. Of course, Woods wants to be out there with his friends and peers to play golf. Of course, he wants to defeat the Europeans, who have won three of the four majors this year. But for his own safety and longevity, it's best to focus on the Masters next year than this tournament.

The Ryder Cup is held every two years and is played between the United States and Europe. The United States holds a commanding 25-9 edge in all-time wins, but Europe has dominated lately. Europe has won seven of the last nine dating back to 1995. This year doesn't look very good for the American team, as the European squad is loaded with stars such as Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.

Yea, this might get ugly.

There is some good news for the American team and recent history. The last time Tiger Woods missed a Ryder Cup was in 2008 because of a knee injury. The United States would go on to beat Europe that year for the only U.S. victory of the 21st century.

Tom Watson, who has won eight majors in his illustrious career, must be breathing a sigh of relief. If Woods did not back out of this year's Ryder Cup, he would be forced to make a decision in a lose-lose situation. If Watson chose Woods, he would be selected him purely on name and legacy instead of performance, and someone else would be left off. If Watson did not choose Woods, he would be a very unpopular person.

This year's Ryder Cup is being played in Scotland. The United States hasn't won on European soil since 1993.

Woods currently sits at 14 career majors. Although he hasn't won a single major since the 2008 U.S. Open, he firmly believes that catching Jack Nicklaus' 18 majors is still possible. Even if he can't catch Nicklaus, Woods must make sure he stays healthy and focuses on his PGA career before his international career. Next year's Masters tournament isn't set to begin until April, but Woods can't take time for granted.

Woods may also have also have backed out because he knew he wasn't going to get picked. With the Ryder Cup no longer an issue for Woods, he can focus more on getting back to full health.

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