Tiger Woods has been replaced as the face of golf by a slew of talented newcomers, but his profound impact remains in tact.

For weeks, fans have been hypothesizing whether or not Tiger would make his return for the 2017 Masters.

After playing in three events this season, there was speculation that he could get on the course for the PGA’s most beloved event. He finished 15th at the Hero World Challenge in December before missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in January before withdrawing at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic following a disappointing first round.

Now, officially, Woods announced that he would not be playing in this year’s Masters, thus disappointing the entire golf community.

On his official website, Woods posted, “Unfortunately, I won't be competing in this year's Masters. I did about everything I could to play, but my back rehabilitation didn't allow me the time to get tournament ready. I'm especially upset because it's a special anniversary for me that's filled with a lot of great memories. I can't believe it's been 20 years since I won my first green jacket.”

As for a comeback, Tiger wrote, “I have no timetable for my return, but I will continue my diligent effort to recover, and want to get back out there as soon as possible.”

Since golf is a sport that requires reputation and consistency, it's obvious that Woods will only return when he feels comfortable competing at an elite level.

While Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and others have captivated audiences with stellar play over the past couple of years, the game of golf has missed Tiger’s presence as a whole.

Not only did Woods win 79 tournaments and 14 majors in his illustrious career, but he was also a dominant force that could not be stopped, thus making the game of golf seem “cool” and “hip”, inspiring a whole wave of young fans to take up the game.

Despite his off-course issues, Woods remains one of the most respected individuals in the sport, all due to the history and individual greatness that he showed on the links over the years.

If his back injury heals properly, he will be up against a very strong field of players, but it would only be a positive if he returns as 75 percent of the player he used to be. That would at least put him in contention to eventually catch Jack Nicklaus down the line.