Former World No. 1 Vijay Singh has withdrawn from the Masters following an injury, Augusta National has revealed. This comes just a few days before the start of the tournament and marks the first time the 62-year-old would not be at Augusta National since he made his debut in 1994. He withdrew from the 2020 Masters after 10 holes due to illness.
The Fijian has been an ever-present at the Masters and has played in 31 consecutive editions of the tournament. Singh won the green jacket in 2000 after seeing off competition from the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and David Duval. This marks the 25-year anniversary of the victory, but his streak of playing in all editions of the Masters since his debut comes to an end.
Singh’s withdrawal comes as a surprise and leaves many wondering what it means for the field at Augusta. The Fijian had even shared his excitement for his trip to Georgia on social media on Sunday evening. “Had a certain color on my mind today. On to Augusta,” he posted. He also added a picture of himself wearing a green shirt while playing in the final round of Sunday’s PGA Tour Champions event.
Singh’s Withdrawal Due to Injury
Singh, who has also won the PGA Championship twice, informed the tournament’s committee that he was withdrawing from the 2025 Masters due to an injury. He featured in the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational on Sunday and finished tied for 18th place.
A statement from Augusta National confirmed that the 62-year-old had withdrawn. However, it is currently not clear if Singh sustained the injury during the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational and the Masters hasn’t provided any information regarding the details of the injury.
What Does Singh Withdrawal Mean For The Field at Augusta?
The Fijian joins the list of absentees from the Masters that includes notable names like Luke Clanton, Louis Oosthuizen, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Tiger Woods, Marc Leishman, Ben Griffin, Kevin Kisner, and Matt Kuchar.
Despite the absence of some notable players, the field at the Masters is still 95 players. This is still the largest since there were 97 players in 2015. Due to The Masters being an invitational event, Singh will not be replaced in the field for the tournament, meaning there will be 95 players involved in Thursday’s opening round.
Singh finished in the top 10 five times in six years following his victory in 2000. The 34-time PGA Tour winner has a lifetime exemption for The Masters, but has not won a major tournament since seeing off Ernie Els 25 years ago.
Main Photo Credit: © Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
