Tiger Woods will have reconstructive surgery on his left knee that will sideline him for the rest of the 2008 season, the world number one golfer said on his Web site today.

The 32-year-old Woods on Monday claimed the U.S. Open title in a 19-hole playoff against fellow-American Rocco Mediate in his first tournament in two months since having surgery on the knee two days after the U.S. Masters, qualifying him for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda in October.

Woods will have reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament and will require time off to rehabilitate a double stress fracture of his left tibia that was found last month, the Web site (www.tigerwoods.com) said.

* See tomorrow's Royal Gazette for the full story and reaction.