Woods pulls out of Cup consideration

Tiger Woods removed himself from consideration for the Ryder Cup team on Wednesday evening with a clear message that he is not healthy enough to play.

One day after US captain Tom Watson said he trusted Woods to give him the "straight skinny" on the condition of his back injury and his game, Woods said he called the 64-year-old captain to say he would not be available.

The decision spares Watson from having to leave Woods off the team and it eliminates a distraction over the next three weeks before Watson announces his three captain's picks for the Sept 26-28 matches against Europe at Gleneagles.