Setbacks bedevil troubled Woods
A SHAMAL wind whipping up in the UAE led to a suspension of play in the second round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic yesterday but it was an ill wind that brought more misery to Tiger Woods.
His comeback continues to be riddled with setbacks. And it’s that fragile back that remains the problem as his visible decline was once again played out in public. After opening with a toiling 77 which raised more suspicions of continued aches and pains, the former world No 1 withdrew before his second round after complaining of back spasms. In his first 322 starts as a professional, Woods withdrew from just five events. In his last 19 starts, he has withdrawn four times. “He can’t get the spasm to calm down,” said his agent, Mark Steinberg. The fact, though, that he feels it’s not the nerve pain, that’s very encouraging for him.”
Later in the day play was halted in the strong gusts which uprooted trees and ripped the roofs off TV towers. The decision to suspend play caused much harrumphing among certain players.
Those players who had battled what they felt were similar conditions on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning were deeply unimpressed by the move, with far better weather forecast for the resumption of play this morning.
Martin Kaymer and Rafa Cabrera Bello had set the early clubhouse target after defying the conditions to card second rounds of 69 and reach fourunder-par, with South Africa’s George Coetzee leading on nine-under after eight holes when the sirens sounded. Martin Laird boosted hopes of a first victory in almost four years in storming his way to near the top on day of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Laird produced a red-hot putting display needing just 24 putts to grab five birdies, including birding his closing two holes, in a five under par 66 and head to lunch tied second at nine-under par on the TPC Scottsdale course.
However, The Scot, currently ranked 143rd in the world, said he capped his round holing putts from 18 feet at his third hole and then 24 feet at his 16th and both after being in greenside bunkers.
“It was just a great day with the putter including making two bunker saves by holing putts from around 20-feet to save par, so those were really pleasing,” he said.
“The greens are just so good that I managed to roll in good putts all day, and while yesterday was a day when I hit the ball really, really good and just putted okay, today I drove it well and my putter was just on fire.
“It’s been a little while since I made that many mid-length putts of around 20 to 25-feet and to then finish with a pair of birdies was very pleasing.
“I was really happy on Thursday to shoot four under but to shoot a better score today has got me excited.”