Tiger Woods falls out of top 100

tigerwoods - CROPPED

Tiger Woods is out of golf's top 100 players for the first time since 1996.

Woods, a 14-time major winner and former No. 1, has not played on the PGA Tour since announcing his intention in February to take an indefinite break from golf.

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That decision came on the back of injury problems and a notable deterioration in Woods' game.

However, Woods' absence has now seen him fall to 104th in golf's world rankings — his lowest level since leaping from 221st to 75th with a maiden PGA Tour victory at the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational.

The 39-year-old, though, is said to be making significant steps toward appearing in the first major of the year, the Masters, which begins on April 9.

Rory McIlroy remains at No. 1, while Jordan Spieth climbs from sixth to fourth, Dustin Johnson jumps two to seventh, and Jimmy Walker — winner of the Texas Open on Sunday — pushes Justin Rose out of the top 10.

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