The USGA and The R&A have issued a new Decision on the Rules of Golf to limit the use of video evidence in the game, effective immediately.

The two organizations have also established a working group of LPGA, PGA Tour, PGA European Tour, Ladies European Tour and PGA of America representatives to immediately begin a comprehensive review of broader video issues, including viewer call-ins, which arise in televised competitions.

New Decision 34-3/10 implements two standards for Rules committees to limit the use of video: 1) when video reveals evidence that could not reasonably be seen with the “naked eye,” and 2) when players use their “reasonable judgment” to determine a specific location when applying the Rules. The full language of the Decision can be found here.

The first standard states, “the use of video technology can make it possible to identify things that could not be seen with the naked eye.” An example includes a player who unknowingly touches a few grains of sand in taking a backswing with a club in a bunker when making a stroke.

If the committee concludes that such facts could not reasonably have been seen with the naked eye and the player was not otherwise aware of the potential breach, the player will be deemed not to have breached the Rules, even when video technology shows otherwise. This is an extension of the provision on ball-at-rest-moved cases, which was introduced in 2014.

The second standard applies when a player determines a spot, point, position, line, area, distance or other location in applying the Rules, and recognizes that a player should not be held to the degree of precision that can sometimes be provided by video technology. Examples include determining the nearest point of relief or replacing a lifted ball.

So long as the player does what can reasonably be expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player’s reasonable judgment will be accepted, even if later shown to be inaccurate by the use of video evidence.

Both of these standards have been extensively discussed as part of the Rules modernization initiative.  The USGA and The R&A have decided to enact this Decision immediately because of the many difficult issues arising from video review in televised golf.

The standards in the Decision do not change any of the current requirements in the Rules, as the player must still act with care, report all known breaches of the Rules and try to do what is reasonably expected in making an accurate determination when applying the Rules.

Video-related topics that require a deeper evaluation by the working group include the use of information from sources other than participants such as phone calls, email or social media, and the application of penalties after a score card has been returned.

USGA Executive Director/CEO Mike Davis said, “This important first step provides officials with tools that can have a direct and positive impact on the game. We recognize there is more work to be done. Advancements in video technology are enhancing the viewing experience for fans, but can also significantly affect the competition. We need to balance those advances with what is fair for all players when applying the Rules.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We have been considering the impact of video review on the game and feel it is important to introduce a Decision to give greater clarity in this area. Golf has always been a game of integrity and we want to ensure that the emphasis remains as much as possible on the reasonable judgment of the player rather than on what video technology can show.”

The USGA and The R&A will consider additional modifications recommended by the working group for implementation in advance of Jan. 1, 2019, when the new code resulting from the collaborative work to modernize golf’s Rules takes effect.

There was good reason to smile on the weekend for a pair of Team Canada members, who both finished tied for fifth at their respective NCAA Conference Championships.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee—a sophomore at Ohio State—shot a 2-over score at the River’s Bend course in Mainville, Ohio to close the Big Ten Championship in a three-way share of fifth place. Lee led the Buckeyes to a third place result overall.

To add to her strong weekend, the four-year National Amateur Squad member was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.

Jaclyn Lee named to the All-Tournament Team at the Big Ten Championships. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Pnqikk3oQ2

— Ohio State W Golf (@OhioState_WGOLF) April 23, 2017

Down in Alabama, Maddie Szeryk mirrored the success of Lee with a matching T5 result at the Southeastern Conference Championship in Birmingham. Szeryk—a junior at Texas A&M—carded a final-round 71 to finish at 5-under par, helping the Aggies to finish T5 overall.

The result marks another strong performance from the 20-year-old Szeryk, who earned back-to-back SEC Golfer of the Week honours in March. She has posted seven top-10 victories for the Aggies in the 2016-17 campaign.

Both Szeryk and Lee will tee-it-up at the NCAA Columbus Regional from May 8-10, held at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course.

Victoria, B.C. native and Team Canada teammate Naomi Ko—a sophomore at N.C. State—will be in action at the Albuquerque Regional, also taking place from May 8-10.

The top-six teams and top-three individual scorers (not on advancing teams) from regional events will earn tickets to the NCAA Championships from May 19-24.

While it’s often said that hard work and dedication pays off, there’s another saying that closely correlates which suggests that patience is a virtue – and for 29-year-old Adam Hadwin, his breakthrough success this year on the PGA TOUR serves as a prime example.

After turning pro in 2009, Hadwin – who was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and raised in Abbotsford, British Columbia – made a successful progression from the Vancouver Golf Tour to the Web.com Tour and onto the PGA TOUR by the 2014-2015 season.

While his first two seasons on the PGA TOUR have been respectable, the University of Louisville alum has elevated his game to another level this year.

“My observation is he is much more patient and composed than in past years.  That comes from maturity and from having a good team around him.  And he’s putting incredibly well which can’t hurt,” noted Canadian men’s national team head coach, Derek Ingram.

“It takes so much longer on the men’s side on average.  It is just so deep and difficult.  29 is not old; but probably closer to the norm,” Ingram added.

It was in January at the CareerBuilder Challenge when the former Canadian national team member garnered the attention of the entire golfing world by carding a 59 – only the ninth sub-60 round in PGA TOUR history.

In a sport where so much is played between the ears, the sub-60 round undoubtedly provided the talented 5 foot 9 inch Canadian golfer with a higher level of self-belief and confidence which translated nicely to his first career PGA win at the Valspar Championship.

After claiming the title last month and over US$1.13 million for his efforts, Hadwin spoke candidly about his journey as well as the dedication and patience required along the way.

“I can’t say that I’ve been through a lot, but I’ve worked my butt off to get here,” pointed out Hadwin, who married his longtime girlfriend, Jessica, and bought a house within three weeks of his first PGA victory.

“I’ve slowly improved each and every year. I’ve won at every TOUR level that I’ve been on – and now I can call myself a PGA TOUR winner.”

On a recent Golf Canada conference call, Hadwin also spoke about what has contributed to his breakthrough win in 2017.

“What’s made me successful this year is that I stay aggressive, but I’m conservatively aggressive.  I think I’ve done a great job especially on par fives this year,” he said.

“When it calls for it and when it warrants it, I’m aggressive. When I feel comfortable with the shot, I’m aggressive.  Otherwise, I just lay off.”

Given his outstanding start to 2017, perhaps finishing in a tie for 36^th spot was not the result he was hoping for in his recent Masters debut.

Still, as the only Canadian to play into the weekend at Augusta National, there were plenty of reasons for Hadwin to be optimistic – including a 2 under par final round where he posted seven birdies.

Besides striving for the opportunity to showcase his “A” game at the other majors this year, the former national team member also has his sights set on securing a spot on the International Team for the Presidents Cup.

“I think it’s kind of firmly planted in there as a goal for the rest of the year.  I have September 4^th marked on my calendar – that’s the last day to qualify. I want to make sure that I’m in the top 10… I don’t want to rely on a captain’s pick,” Hadwin pointed out.

“It would be the icing on the cake of a great year.  If I can stay inside the top ten, if not move up further, it would be a tremendous honour to represent Canada on such an international stage,” he added.

With six Canadians competing on the PGA TOUR and many talented prospects in the pipeline, Hadwin acknowledges that Canadian golf fans have plenty of reason to be optimistic.

“We’ve got guys playing well on the Web.com Tour and are ready to take that next step; and guys in behind that are moving up in to the Web.com Tour… I think Canadian golf is in great hands and I think it’s just going to continue to get better,” noted Hadwin.

Ingram acknowledges the achievements of 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir combined with the recent success of the five full-time Canadians on the PGA TOUR does a lot to inspire the younger golfers in the pipeline.

“Especially when guys like Mac (Hughes), Nick (Taylor) and Adam – who were all national team athletes – break through, it has deepened the belief in others that are up and coming,” noted the head coach of the Canadian men’s national squad.

Specifically on Hadwin’s stellar start to 2017, Ingram says it just serves as a simple reminder that with a little bit of patience, hard work does indeed pay off.

“Adam has really matured and grown as a person and player and his hard work and dedication over the years has paid off,” he said.

“Lots of the guys on the national team know Adam and like him.  They love seeing another Canuck play great; and more and more players are starting to realize that they can also do it.”

SAN ANTONIO – Kevin Chappell made an 8-foot putt on the final hole to win the Valero Texas Open by one stroke on Sunday.

Chappell had a 4-under 68 in the final round to finish at 12 under for the tournament, edging Brooks Koepka at TPC San Antonio to earn his first PGA Tour victory in his 180th career start.

“A big relief,” the 30-year-old Chappell said. “There’s been quite the monkey on my back for some time now about getting that first win. And to take that off and not have to answer those questions anymore is nice.”

Koepka, a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team last year, was looking for his second PGA Tour win. He had the best round of the day at 7-under 65. Before Chappell came down the 18th hole, Koepka had birdied the hole with a 3-foot putt to tie him.

“It’s hard to win out here – everybody knows that,” Koepka said. “I’m knocking on the door to get my second win. It’s nice for Kevin to get his first win. That’s pretty cool.”

Second-round co-leader Tony Finau got in a position to tie Koepka when he birdied four of five holes on the back nine. But his par-bogey finish left him to settle for a final-round 69 and a third-place tie with Kevin Tway (69) at 9-under.

Australian Aaron Baddeley fired 68 to finish fourth at 8 under.

Brian Gay (70), Sung Kang (68), Ryan Palmer (71) and Cameron Smith (71) were tied for sixth at 7-under, five shots behind Chappell.

Nick Taylor (74) of Abbotsford, B.C. was the top Canadian. He finished 2 under in a tie for 22nd place. Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch tied for 69th and Adam Hadwin, also of Abbotsford, tied for 72nd.

Koepka, trailing Chappell by a shot coming up the 18th, took a 3-metal out of his bag and considered taking a crack at reaching the 606-yard par-5 in two. But he had 293 yards left with a slight uphill shot into the wind with a creek fronting the green.

“I really wanted to go for it – I really wanted to,” Koepka said. “But my caddy was kind of pulling the reins back and he wanted me to lay up, and it was probably a good thing that we did.”

He put the club back in his bag and laid up to create a 90-wedge approach. He stuck that to about three feet and made the birdie to go into the clubhouse tied with Chappell.

Chappell had almost the same distance for his approach on 18, and he landed it past the hole to set up the winning putt.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Chappell, a Californian who had been runner-up six times in his career. “Brooks kept me honest out there today. He made me had to do it the right way. There wasn’t any question I was going to make 4 (birdie) and win the golf tournament.”

Finau closed with birdies on four of five holes coming to the 17th. He was just a shot behind Chappell’s lead, but he parred there and drove next to a cactus bush on the 18th. He punched out to the fairway, removed cactus needles from his leg, then put his approach into the creek. He took a penalty drop, and his bogey ended his chances.

Chappell clung to a one-shot lead after Koepka birdied No. 11 with a 23-foot putt and another one at the next hole putting inside seven feet.

Koepka let a scoring opportunity get away at the 14th, a reachable par-5 at 567 yards. He tagged a 328-yard drive, but he found the rough and failed to get to the green with his second shot, and then missed a 4-foot birdie putt.

“It was an awkward little putt,” Koepka said. “I probably didn’t read enough break. It was probably the worst putt I hit all week and the worst I’ve hit in a long time.”

About 45 minutes later, Chappell came to the hole and sent his second shot 221 yards, about pin high on the green. Even though he lipped out the 11-foot eagle, his tap-in birdie gave him two strokes over Koepka.

Chappell gave Koepka new life when he bogeyed from a greenside bunker at the 15th, and it took until the 18th for Koepka to finally equalize.

Gay, who made it into the field thanks to a 27-event medical exemption due to thumb surgery, earned enough money to make good on the exemption and regain full status on the Tour.

Chappell had a one-shot advantage over first-round leader Branden Grace and John Huh entering the day, the first time he has led after 54 holes on the PGA Tour. Koepka, who won two years back at Phoenix, was four back and had 10 players between him and the lead.

But Koepka made the charge with birdies on his opening two holes, then a streak of three more starting with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 6. He followed with birdie of almost 40 feet on the seventh green and knocked in one from 10 feet at the eighth to tie Chappell.

But while Chappell stuck his tee shot on the 189-yard seventh inside five feet and made birdie to get to 10-under, Koepka would make bogey even after hitting the green at the tough par-4 ninth. He left his putt from 42 feet well short and missed the 9-foot par putt he had remaining.

It gave Chappell a two-shot lead with nine holes to play.

SAN ANTONIO – Kevin Chappell found his swing late and moved a step closer to his first PGA Tour win.

Chappell birdied three of his final five holes and finished with a 1-under 71 on Saturday, giving him a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Valero Texas Open. He is 8-under through 54 holes. He was runnerup six years ago in the event and is ahead of first-round leader Branden Grace, who rallied with 2-under 70, and John Huh. After an eagle-birdie finish, Huh shot 71.

“It was about finding a rhythm,” Chappell said. “I knew when I found it, I could extend it. You can get it going on the finishing stretch.”

Ryan Palmer, a West Texas native who cut through winds as strong as 25 mph, had the round of the day with 4-under 68. He’s joined at 6-under by second round co-leaders Bud Cauley (74) and Tony Finau (74), Sweden’s Carl Pettersson (71), 2013 Texas Open champ Martin Laird (71), Kevin Tway (72) and Australian Cameron Smith (73).

Chappell tied for seventh with Rory McIlroy at the Masters this month, and he got his late charge going Saturday after leaving an eagle putt short at the par-5 14th. He tapped in to gain a stroke, and he made good two holes later with a 12-foot birdie. He chipped to two feet on the downwind, 318-yard 17th and had another tap-in birdie.

Chappell, 30, flirted with trouble on the 18th when his second shot rolled next to a brook, but he had enough room for a full swing and reached the green to set up a 2-putt par.

“I knew my game was in a good place,” said Chappell, who took the week off after Augusta to celebrate the second birthday of his oldest son, Wyatt. “I had played some really good rounds of golf.”

Grace lost his early tournament lead with a 2-over 73 in the second round. But the South African rallied Saturday and had a lead until a bogey at No. 15.

“It was pretty irritating out there,” Grace said. “Pars out there are good. Just have to be patient.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., shot 71 for a 4-under total. Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch (76) is 3 over and Adam Hadwin (82), also of Abbotsford, is 8 over.

Gusts that blew past 20 mph kept scores high – there were 14 scores below par Saturday. On Friday 49 rounds were under par, and 69 sub-par scores were recorded Thursday.

As notable as Palmer’s round was in the windy conditions, it fits with the Texans’ profile at this course. Since the tournament moved to TPC San Antonio’s Greg Norman-designed Oaks Course seven years ago, Palmer’s got three top-10 finishes including his best of a fourth-place tie last year.

“As hard as it was blowing today, and as exposed as this course can be, it made for a challenging day,” he said. “Fortunately, I’ve had success out here when it’s blowing this way. I knew what to expect. I stayed patient and made a lot of putts.”

With the wind at his back, he drove the 318-yard 17th hole but was faced with a 93-foot eagle putt. He sank a 56-foot putt to birdie earlier at No. 6, so he 2-putted for the birdie at 17 and ran in another birdie at 18.

Palmer, originally from Amarillo, hasn’t won since Hawaii in 2010.

“The bomb at No. 6 went in like it was a 2-footer,” Palmer said. I felt like I could take it and run with it. You make a putt like that and it can get your momentum going.“

With these conditions, it didn’t take long for the second-round leaders to back up. Cauley bogeyed the first hole, and his co-leader Finau parred until bogey at No. 7 and a double bogey on the next hole after he was chipping for birdie from right in front of the green.

Cauley later was penalized a stroke when he double-chipped at No. 12 – he hit the ball a second time on the follow through of his greenside chip. He putted from 13 feet to save bogey.

British Columbia’s Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver) and Lawren Rowe (Victoria) teamed up to secure a five-stroke victory on Saturday at the Lima Golf Club en route to capturing the Peruvian International Amateur Championship.

The pair were led by Macdonald—a member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad—who paced the field at 7-under par (70-72-68-71), good for a three-stroke cushion and medallist honours.

Macdonald’s strongest performance came during Friday’s third round, where the Purdue University alum carded a bogey-free 68 (-4). It also marks another strong international performance for the second-year Team Canada product, who recently made the round of 16 in both the Australian and New South Wales Amateur Championships.

Rowe, a University of Victoria junior, fired a final-round 71 to solidify his place inside the top-5, finishing tied for third at 3-under par.

B.C. duo of Kevin Carrigan and David Rose won the event back in 2013. Hall-of-Famer Warren Sye took home the hardware in 1997 alongside fellow Ontarian Brian McCann.

Click here for full scoring

SAN ANTONIO – Tony Finau arrived at the 18th tee with a chance at a course record, but his approach splashed in the water and his bogey dropped him into a second-round tie for the lead with Bud Cauley at the Valero Texas Open on Friday.

A birdie at the par-5 final hole would have given Finau a share of the course record, but he settled for a 7-under 65 and is tied with Cauley at 8 under through 36 holes at TPC San Antonio.

Ian Poulter, Europe’s Ryder Cup star, missed the cut and lost his fully exempt status on the PGA Tour. He fell about $30,000 short of the required earnings to keep his status through a medical exemption because of a foot injury last year.

Cauley, a former NCAA standout at Alabama who’s yet to win through six seasons as a pro, had a lead at the halfway point after his 66 in the morning.

Cauley and Finau, winner last year at the Puerto Rico Open, both lead by one over 23-year-old Australian Cameron Smith, Kevin Chappell, Robby Shelton and veteran 1994 Texas Open winner Bob Estes.

Smith shared low round with Finau at 65, Chappell shot 68, Shelton had a 69, and 51-year-old Estes had a 69.

John Huh is 6 under after a 71, and he’s joined by Kevin Tway (68) and Jonathan Randolph (70).

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is the top Canadian at 3 under. Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin is 2 under while Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch is 1 under. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., missed the cut at 9 over.

There are seven players at 5 under, including first-round leader Branden Grace (73) and former Texas Open champs Jimmy Walker (69) and Martin Laird (67).

Walker, winner of the PGA Championship last summer, said he’ll start treatment for Lyme disease after this event. It may keep him from playing at New Orleans next week.

Finau holed a wedge shot from 105 yards for eagle on No. 11. A 22-foot birdie putt at 16 and a tap-in birdie on the next hole had him looking at tying the course record.

After his approach landed in shallow water in the creek fronting the 18th green, Finau played it out and chipped it past the green, rather than take the penalty drop.

“I did the same thing yesterday after going for the green (in two),” Finau said. “About half of the ball was out of the water. I got up-and-down yesterday. I know lightning doesn’t always strike twice.”

After a par at the first, Cauley’s early birdie streak included a 38-foot putt at 2. He avoided bogey all day, including a near 3-putt by sinking a 12-footer at No. 17.

“Putting saved me a lot today,” Cauley said, “and the putt (to save par) at 17 was huge. It was windy, and I knew I was going to miss some greens. When I did, I was able to leave it in a relatively easy spot and get up and down.”

Cauley is coming off his second top 10 of the year, a ninth place at RBC Heritage after a first-round 63 at Hilton Head.

After opening the tournament with even-par 72 Thursday, Smith jumped 68 spots on the leaderboard and finished with eagle-birdie. The eagle was a 90-yard blast from a bunker. He also chipped in from off the green for three birdies.

“Everything I hit, whether it was a rubbish shot or a good shot, kind of went close to the hole,” Smith said.

Cauley played through a medical exemption to keep his Tour card last year after shoulder surgery. It didn’t work for Poulter, the Englishman who’s played in five memorable Ryder Cup events for Europe.

“I’m healthy,” Poulter said. “I’m still going to be able to play golf. It doesn’t mean to say that the clubs are going to go away and you’re never going to see me again.”

Besides Poulter, notables missing the cut included U.S. Amateur champ Curtis Luck (73-72 in his pro debut), Billy Horschel (73-74), Luke Donald (76-72), Zach Johnson (74-74) and Keegan Bradley (77-74).

Defending champion Charley Hoffman, who shared the lead at the halfway point of the Masters this month, birdied his 17th hole to get to 1 under for the tournament and one shot inside the cut number.

Jacksonville, Florida’s Sean Dale shot a 3-under 69 on Friday at PGA Golf Club’s Wannamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida, then prevailed in a playoff over Naples, Florida’s Edward Figueroa to earn medallist honours at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s USA East #2 Q-School.

The 27-year old University of North Florida graduate birdied two of his final three holes and both holes of sudden death to secure the win and exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2017, completing a long journey back after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum last year and missing most of the season.

“Coming into this, I didn’t really have many expectations, but the game just kind of fell right back into where I was last year, and it feels great,” said Dale, who held Mackenzie Tour status last year but had to be shut down after the first two events of the season.

After opting for surgery on his shoulder, Dale went through more than seven months of rehab, gradually working his way back to where he could practice and eventually play.

“This is the first tournament back,” said Dale. “It was a lot of rehab and a lot of work to get here, so it just feels good to be back competing. I enjoyed the first two events season in Vancouver and Victoria, so I’m excited to see a little bit more of Canada this time.”

Figueroa, who led after each of the first three rounds, carded a 1-over 73 for a second straight day but earned Mackenzie Tour status for the third consecutive year.

Click here for scores.

South African Branden Grace had a 6-under 66 and leads by a stroke after the opening round of the Valero Texas Open on Thursday.

Grace had a season-best 11th-place finish last week in defense of his RBC Heritage title. He leads the 5-under 67s of Steven Alker, Stewart Cink, John Huh and Will MacKenzie at TPC San Antonio. Alker, a journeyman New Zealander who played in the final group of the day, birdied the final three holes.

There are 13 players packed two shots back at 4 under. That includes 2010 U.S. Open champion Graham McDowell and 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup member Brooks Koepka.

Two weeks ago, Grace was over par but still survived the cut at the Masters. He played the weekend in 3 under, and his best scorecard last week at Hilton Head was 68. The 66 on Thursday was his best round since Hawaii in January.

“That’s the one round I was waiting for,” Grace said. “I’ve been shooting the 69s and 70s, but not getting that one low round. This is nice.”

His day took off with three consecutive birdies mid-round, including a 22-foot putt at the ninth after missing his only fairway of the day.

It almost wasn’t as nice for McDowell, who’s won twice on the PGA Tour since his U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach seven years ago.

“I made bogey at 11 from the middle of the fairway, (and) I ripped it down the middle of the 12th fairway right in the middle of a divot and duffed it out short of the green and made bogey there,” he said.

“To recover after that with a great birdie at 13 and a nice up-and-down at 14 for birdie, it was nice to bounce back.”

Ian Poulter needs to at least make the cut to keep his PGA Tour card for the remainder of the season. That’s in doubt now – no birdies until his 17th hole and a 75 has him well outside the top 100. He’s playing on a major medical exemption granted after a foot injury caused him to miss most of last season, and he needs to earn $30,624 before the exemption ends this week.

Patrick Reed, who was born in San Antonio and was runner-up here a year ago, is three shots out of the lead after a 69. Ryan Moore, Reed’s Ryder Cup teammate and who tied for ninth at Augusta this month, is another shot back with a 70.

Defending champ Charley Hoffman, co-leader at the halfway point at the Masters, shot 71 and sits just outside the top 50.

U.S. Amateur champion Curtis Luck of Australia opened his first round as a pro with three bogeys, but he holed a bunker shot from 75 yards for eagle later in his round to help him to a 1-over 73.

Two days after saying his back was progressing, Tiger Woods has had a fourth back surgery to alleviate pain and is likely to go through another year without playing a major.

Woods said on his website Thursday the operation was done at the Texas Back Institute outside Dallas.

He was in Missouri on Tuesday to announce plans to design a public golf course at Big Cedar Lodge, and Woods even tried hitting a few shots to a par 3. The first one rattled around in the rocks, and the second shot was about 10 feet from the flag.

The announcement on his website said typical recovery from single-level fusion surgery is six months.

“The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain,” Woods said. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”

Woods first had back surgery – a microdiscectomy – a week before the 2014 Masters, and he tried to return in three months. He sat out three months at the end of 2014 to let his body fully heal. But after a 2015 season in which he missed the cut in three majors, he had back surgery in September and another one in October.

He went 15 months without competition before returning in December at his Hero World Challenge. Woods missed the cut at Torrey Pines in January, then withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic on Feb. 3 after opening with a 77, citing back spasms.

And now he’s gone through a fourth surgery.

Questions about the 14-time major champion have shifted from if he will win another major to if he will play another major.

The statement on his website said Woods’ bottom disc in his lower back has severely narrowed, causing sciatica and severe pain in his back and legs. Woods opted for a fourth surgery when more conservative therapy, such as rest and injections, failed to solve anything.

The surgery was described as “anterior lumbar interbody fusion” at the L-5 and S-1 of his spine. It was performed by Richard Guyer of the institute’s Center for Disc Replacement, and involved removing the damaged disc and lifting the collapsed disc space to normal levels.

“After he recovers from surgery, he will gradually begin his rehabilitation until he is completely healed,” Guyer said on the website. “Once that’s accomplished, his workouts will be geared to allowing him to return to competitive golf.”

Guyer said the bottom of the spine is the best place for single-level fusion to occur.

“Some individuals are born with one less vertebrae, which would be similar to someone who had a single-level fusion,” he said.

Woods’ first surgery in 2014 was in Park City, Utah, by neurosurgeon Charles Rich, who also did the second operation. This is the first time Woods has gone to the Texas Back Institute.

Woods was to begin therapy and treatment after several weeks of rest.

He won his 79th PGA Tour event in August 2013 at the Bridgestone Invitational. Three weeks later, he was in contention late in the final round at the Barclays when he dropped to his knees after experiencing what he described as back spasms.

Woods is exempt for life at the Masters and PGA Championship, and until he is 60 at the British Open. He has a 10-year exemption for the U.S. Open from his 2008 victory at Torrey Pines, which was his 14th and last major. He had reconstructive knee surgery a week later.

He has started just 19 events worldwide since that first back surgery, and he has completed 72 holes in just nine of them. His best finish was a tie for 10th in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015, a month before his second back surgery.

With so many injuries and inactivity, Woods now is No. 788 in the world ranking.