Tiger taking time out

TIGER WOODS may not play again until the US Open in June as his father continues to battle cancer.

Woods, who is in New Zealand to attend caddie Steve Williams’ wedding, is taking a break from the US PGA Tour after finishing tied third in the US Masters earlier this month.

The world number one is unsure how many tournaments, if any, he will contest before the US Open at Winged Foot from June 15-18.

“I’m taking time off,” he said. “I’m here for this event, and for Steve, and to enjoy time off, and be with my father, so I won’t play for a while.

“It is up in the air (how many tournaments I play). I don’t know what will happen. My father is hanging in there. The guy is an absolute fighter and walking miracle,” said Woods.

Before attempting to win his fifth Masters at Augusta, Woods paid tribute to his father Earl, a former Green Beret.

“I’m very proud of my dad,” he said. “He’s a tremendous fighter and an unbelievable will. Hopefully he’s passed a little bit of that on to me. That’s kind of how I play, I guess.”

Last year Earl Woods made the trip to Augusta, but never got to the course because of his health and the world number one broke down in tears at the presentation ceremony.

“At least he was able to travel (last April). That’s no longer the case,” Woods added. “But if anyone can fight and grind it out it would be him.

He’s as tough as they come. It’s always been a very emotional week for us as a family because my first year as a professional (1997) actually he was dead and then somehow they revived him.”