Golf: Tiger Woods crashes out of world top 100

Tiger Woods. Photo / Getty Images

Tiger Woods has dropped out of the world's top 100 golfers for the first time since 1996.

The 39-year-old has struggled to return to the form which saw him spend a record 683 weeks as world No 1 and is now ranked 104 in the official rankings.

The 14-time major winner carded an 82 at the Phoenix Open in January, a round which he described as his worst as a professional.

Woods has not played since he withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open on February 6 saying he will not return until he can "compete at the highest level".

Woods has said he is "hopeful" of a return at the Masters which starts on April 9, but if he does forgo the tournament it will be the second successive occasion he has done so.

Woods was last outside the top 100 in September 1996 when he was ranked 225.

The then 20-year-old won the Las Vegas Invitational, the first of his 79 PGA Tour victories.

- Daily Mail

Golf world rankings:

1. Rory McIlroy (NIR) - 10.99 points

2. Henrik Stenson (SWE) - 7.80

3. Bubba Watson (USA) - 7.57

4. Jordan Spieth (USA) - 6.90

5. Jason Day (AUS) - 6.50

6. Adam Scott (AUS) - 6.41

7. Dustin Johnson (USA) - 5.99

8. Sergio Garcia (ESP) - 5.86

9. Jim Furyk (USA) - 5.78

10. Jimmy Walker (USA) - 5.57

11. Justin Rose (ENG) - 5.30

12. Rickie Fowler (USA) - 4.69

13. Martin Kaymer (GER) - 4.64

14. Matt Kuchar (USA) - 4.58

15. Patrick Reed (USA) - 4.54

16. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) - 4.20

17. Billy Horschel (USA) - 4.06

18. Victor Dubuisson (FRA) - 3.66

19. Brooks Koepka (USA) - 3.64

20 J.B. Holmes (USA) - 3.61