Tiger Woods in fitness race for Masters

Tiger Woods is facing a battle to be fit in time for The Masters after suffering tightness in his left Achilles at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami.

The former world number one had to withdraw after 11 holes at Doral and will get his left Achilles examined this week.

"I felt tightness in my left Achilles when warming up this morning," he said in a statement. "It felt progressively worse throughout the day. After hitting my tee shot at 12 I decided it was necessary to withdraw.

"In the past I may have tried to continue to play, but this time I

decided to do what I thought was necessary. I will get my Achilles

evaluated some time early next week."

It is less than four weeks until The Masters, where last year he came fourth despite injuring both his knee and his Achilles playing a shot from under a tree.

Then, at The Players Championship a month later, he played nine holes in a six-over-par 42 and walked in.

The 14-time Major winner missed the US Open and Open Championship after that and also missed the final two Majors of 2008 following knee surgery.

Woods was playing the 10th when he hit in second shot into water, after which he winced in pain.

Playing partner Webb Simpson said: "I wasn't paying much attention, but it looked like he made a swing on 12 that really hurt.

Woods is due to play next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, but the 36-year-old is more likely to focus his attention on the first Major of the season at Augusta.

Golf Monthly homepage