NEW YORK (AFP) –Tiger Woods struggled with a stiff back Wednesday, limited to chipping and putting on the back nine of his pro-am round on the eve of the US PGA playoff opener.
World number five Woods tees off in Thursday’s opening round of the Northern Trust, the first of three tour playoff events culminating with the Tour Championship, where Woods is the defending champion.
Woods, the reigning Masters champion, has played a limited schedule this season in hopes of keeping himself healthy at age 43, but admits he has days when he faces major back issues and others when he can drive the ball with golf’s best.
“This is how it is. Some days I’m stiffer than others,” Woods said. “I was out there hitting it great. Driving it out there with Brooksy and DJ (long-hitters Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson).
“Today I’m stiff. Hopefully I’m not that way tomorrow.”
Woods, a 15-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, has 81 career US PGA titles, one shy of matching Sam Snead’s all-time record.
Woods tees off alongside fellow Americans J.T. Poston and Scott Piercy on Thursday morning at Liberty National in Jersey City, New Jersey.
At 28th in the season points standings, just behind his playing partners for the first two days, Woods is in danger of failing to qualify for a chance to defend his Tour Championship crown.
He must be in the top 30 after next week at Medinah to reach the season finale at Atlanta’s East Lake. Playing all three would be his longest run of events since last year’s playoffs, when he was testing his recovery from a spinal fusion.
”I learned a lot last year by playing too much,” Woods said. ”Coming back from my procedure and not really knowing what to expect, I pushed it pretty hard. I vowed I would never do that again.
