Tiger Woods drops out of top 1000 in golf rankings!

With back issues once again preventing Tiger Woods from returning to golf, the former world number one is now ranked outside the top 1000.

Tiger Woods dropped out of the top 1000 in golf's official world rankings for the first time in his career on Monday.

The 14-time major winner's 683 weeks as World No. 1 are comfortably the most in the history of the rankings, but the American's career has suffered a dismal slide in recent years amid ravaging back injuries.

Woods has not played in a professional event since February due to back trouble and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after he was found asleep at the wheel of his Mercedes on May 29 in Jupiter, Florida, attributing his condition to an "unexpected reaction" to the medication he was on following surgery.

Though the 41-year-old recently completed a "private intensive program", it is unclear when - if ever - the icon will return.

Woods has resided at career-low status in the rankings for some time, but his slide passed a new, eye-catching milestone on Monday, as he was confirmed as the new world number 1,005.

In the upper climes of the list, Jon Rahm took seventh place from Henrik Stenson, as the sport's leading players prepare for the Open at Royal Birkdale this week.