Golf stars wear red and black in show of support for stricken Tiger
Rory Mcilroy joined the players wearing red tops and black trousers in a show of support for Tiger Woods in the final round of the Wgc-workday Championship in Florida.
In a gesture undertaken mainly by Nike-sponsored players, Tommy Fleetwood, Jason Day and Tony Finau also donned the traditional last-day colours of Woods at The Concession Golf Club near Bradenton.
The show of support, which also involved Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas, came on the first Sunday following the car crash in Los Angeles that left Woods in hospital with serious leg injuries.
Elsewhere, Phil Micklelson wore a red top for the final round of the Cologuard Classic on the Champions Tour in Arizona, while Annika Sorenstam, her husband/ caddie Mike Mcgee and son Will were all donned in Tiger colours for the last circuit of the LPGA Gainbridge event at Lake Nona in Florida.
At the Puerto Rico Classic, this week’s regular event on the PGA Tour, the entire greenkeeping team also showed their support by turning out in red tops and black trousers.
Woods started wearing the colours in final rounds early in his professional career at the suggestion of his mother, Tida, and it has become one of the best-known sights in the game.
The former world No 1 is still in hospital in California after being involved in a serious car accident in Los Angeles early on Tuesday morning.
Woods has been sidelined since undergoing a fifth back procedure in December and now faces another battle to prolong his career, having already staged an amazing comeback to win a fifth Masters in 2019.
Meanwhile, Bob Macintyre wasn’t pleased with his week in the Wgc-workday Championship but, at the same time, felt there were “a lot of positives” for the remainder of his run of big events in the US.
The 24-year-old from Oban closed with a level-par 72 to finish with an eight-over 296 total, which was set to see him finish around 60th in the 72-strong field for the $10.5 million event.
Macintyre started the closing circuit with a birdie from close range and went on to make four birdies in the first six holes and five in total, but his card also included five bogeys. “My four rounds this week were summed up on the last hole,” said the young Scot of a three-putt bogey from 50 feet. “Overall, it wasn't that good of a week. I played really solid tee-to-green, but my short game and putting let me down. I couldn’t get to grips with the greens and surrounds – they just battered me”
Next up for Macintyre is a debut in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill as he bids to secure a first Masters appearance in April by staying in the world’s top 50 for the final cut-off for invitations late next month.
“I am driving the ball very good and I’m hitting my long irons good, but my short irons are poor,” he added. “But there’s a lot of positives for me heading to Bay Hill. I haven’t practised a whole lot since coming out here, so there’s a bit of work to do at the start of this week and that should see me okay come Thursday.”