Officials and players offer ailing Woods support

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wednesday's news that Tiger Woods will miss the rest of the season to have reconstructive surgery on his left knee and rehabilitation sparked immediate sympathy from leading officials and players.

"For an athlete as talented and competitive as Tiger Woods, taking the rest of the season off must have been an incredibly difficult, yet necessary, decision," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement.

"(It is) one that we understand and support completely. The fact that he needs additional surgery only makes his performance and victory at last week's U.S. Open all the more impressive."

World number one Woods clinched his 14th major title by winning the U.S. Open in a playoff with fellow American Rocco Mediate on Monday, ending a week of continual knee pain at Torrey Pines by sealing victory at the 91st hole.

"First and foremost, our concern -- as it would be for any of our players facing surgery or illness -- is for Tiger's health and overall well-being, on and off the golf course," Finchem said. "We wish him the best toward a speedy recovery."

European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said in a statement: "Everyone in sport will be shocked and saddened by this news.

"We at the European Tour wish Tiger a swift and full recovery and look forward to making him welcome when he is fit to return to the fairways of the world."

Paul Azinger, who will captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Valhalla in September, said: "I admire Tiger as a person, player and fan.

"This should not be about Tiger and the Ryder Cup now. This is about Tiger's health and well-being and his march to history."

SORELY FELT

American Kenny Perry, a 10-times PGA Tour winner who played with Woods on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2004, said Woods's absence for the rest of the season would be sorely felt.

"It's going to be tough for the sponsors and the Tour," Perry told reporters while preparing for this week's Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.

"Tiger is our tour and when you lose your star player, it definitely hurts. There's no question about it.

"Watching him (last week), I thought it was more drama than actually being hurt. Now to hear he's got a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and a stress fracture, for a man to endure all that, it's pretty incredible what he accomplished."

Twice major champion John Daly, competing in this week's BMW International on the European Tour, told reporters: "We knew he was in pain but, with the technology and surgery these days, you would have thought it would heal.

"The golf world will miss him. It is a blow to all the fans who follow him and the sponsors -- the money wouldn't be where it is if it wasn't for him."

Eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie said: "This puts into sharp perspective what an extraordinary performance that was (at the U.S. Open).

"To go 72 holes, then another 18, then have enough to win the playoff; it just shows the sheer will power of the man. I can only wish him a speedy recovery."

"It is difficult in the middle of an extraordinary era to think of the rest of the year without Tiger. It's a huge loss to golf."

(Additional reporting by Norman Dabell)

(Editing by Justin Palmer)