Back injuries afflicting top players, and mere mortals share their pain

There is a list of sports injuries to which we, the ungifted, can scarcely relate. We read about them every day and weigh their effects upon our favorite teams and players. But we don’t really feel them.

Odds are most of us never will require Tommy John surgery in order to continue our pedestrian careers. If needed, I’m pretty sure I can type with a sore elbow.

A sports hernia? Who gets a sports hernia? I intend to suffer a regular hernia, like normal people.

With a few wise words, a friend of mind constantly assures me that we never will suffer the kind of painful tears and strains common to the athletic class. “Hey, you can’t pull fat,” he’ll say.

But a bad back? Now there’s one just about all of us can understand. If you’ve never had back pain, just wait. You will.

This came to mind this weekend at the Players Championship, where like many tournaments, the subject of back troubles has been prominent. Players old — David Toms — and fairly new — 2016 Masters champ Danny Willett — both withdrew from the Players citing back troubles.

The world’s No. 2-ranked player, Rory McIlroy, who already has missed play this year because of a balky back, said he is once again experiencing discomfort. McIlroy is just a couple of weeks off a Caribbean honeymoon, but we will continue to assume the problems are totally golf-related. He has an MRI scheduled today in Northern Ireland.

Of course, at every tournament of this size between now and whenever, there is the conspicuous back-related absence of Eldrick Woods. His spine may never be fine and an entire sport is still trying to adjust to that reality.

Back injuries are as common to golf as fleas are to a hound and have threatened such other prominent players as Fred Couples and Jason Day. Louis Oosthuizen was sidetracked by his back just a few years ago. You can readily wince at each case, because practically everyone knows how difficult it is to perform mere everyday tasks with a bad back, let alone try to gouge out a long bunker shot.

Alas, the bad back is something that never really seems to completely go away once it comes to visit. It is a scourge and, as we all know, a persistent pain in that area located just south of the back.

WARREN LITTLE / GETTY IMAGES Athletic tape is visible on Rory McIlroy’s back at The Players Championship. He says he is having discomfort and will undergo an MRI today.