Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week's Safeway Open and next month's Turkish Airlines Open, claiming that his game is "vulnerable".
The 14-time Major winner entered the event a few hours before last Friday's 5pm deadline and was scheduled to make his first appearance since last August's Wyndham Championship.
However the 40-year-old, currently ranked 786th in the world, admits that he is still not quite ready for a competitive return.
In a statement on his website, Woods said: "After a lot of soul searching and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA Tour or compete in Turkey. My health is good, and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be.
"I spent a week with the US Ryder Cup team, an honour and experience that inspired me even more to play. I practised the last several days in California, but after a lot of hours, I knew I wasn't ready to compete against the best golfers in the world.
"I would like to apologise and send my regrets to Safeway, the Turkish Airlines Open, the fans in California and Turkey and those that had hoped to watch me compete on TV. This isn't what I wanted to happen, but I will continue to strive to be able to play tournament golf. I'm close, and I won't stop until I get there."
Since last competing in summer 2015, Woods has had surgery on his back twice.
