"As for Woods, he simply needs to get healthy. He can't and shouldn't go through what he did for five days at Torrey Pines."

Thomas Bonk in the L.A. Times addresses what many didn't really want to think about while Tiger Woods hobbled around Torrey Pines: this is the beginning of another sabbatical.

No one should be shocked if Woods takes a leave of absence, maybe even a long one.

The Buick Open in two weeks? Not likely.

The AT&T National in three weeks, a tournament of which he is the host? Probably not.

The British Open in five weeks? Don't count it.

Let's hope everybody got a good look at Woods wearing his red coral-colored shirt Monday at Torrey Pines, where he outlasted Rocco Mediate, because we're probably not going to be seeing much more of him and his red shirts for a while.

And...

There has been speculation that Woods' left knee requires further surgery, that he might need a procedure such as microfracture surgery, along the lines of what Greg Oden, the No. 1 draft pick of the Portland Trail Blazers, needed. Oden sat out this NBA season.

Microfracture surgery stimulates the growth of cartilage. Woods has had surgery on his left knee three times, the last occasion two days after the Masters to clean out cartilage.

Those in Woods' camp would not speculate about the possibility that such a surgery is needed.