Two days after winning the US Open in a playoff, Tiger Woods announced to the public that he will be missing the rest of the 2008 season due to problems with his left knee. He revealed that he had been playing for the past ten months with a torn left ligament in his knee, as well a double stress fracture on his left tibia two weeks before the start of the US Open.

Woods had been told by doctors that three weeks on crutches and three weeks of rest was the answer for his left leg stress fracture, which would effectively prevent him from playing the US Open at Torrey Pines. However, Woods prevailed, playing and winning the tournament despite the fracture and a torn anterior cruciate ligament. His final game was against Rocco Mediate, after 91 holes on the leg and after several days of flinching and grimacing interspersed with the more of the spectacular shots for which he was known for.

Woods will be missing the next major of the season, the British Open at Royal Birkdale followed by the PGA championship, where the 32 year old is the current champion, as well as the Ryder Cup in September. His most recent surgery was in April 15, when he had arthroscopic surgery to clean out the cartilage in his left knee. Although Woods disregarded his doctors' advice about taking time of from playing the US Open, which he ultimately won despite his injuries, the golfer has finally decided to listen to his doctors and take the rest of the year off. In a statement posted on his official website, Woods said, "Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery, and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee."