Woods’ back problem flares up in Dubai
DUBAI: Former world No 1 Tiger Woods has pulled out of the Dubai Desert Classic ahead of his second round because of a back problem, the European Tour said last night.
The American 14time major champion, now ranked 666th after his long injury layoff due to back problems, recorded a miserable 5over 77 on the opening day yesterday.
Appearing for the eighth time in Dubai, where he has won twice with a 92under par record for the 28 rounds played there since 2001, the 41yearold Woods looked out of sorts as he continued his comeback at the European Tour event.
However, his chances of avoiding another early exit had looked slim yesterday and the American appeared to be in some discomfort as he struggled to find a rhythm.
‘‘I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn’t doing a very good job,’’ Woods told reporters.
‘‘At the end, I finally hit some good ones but the damage had already been done.
‘‘I could have hung in there. I could have shot something near even par if I would have made some putts but I made nothing.’’
The numbers from the opening round were not pretty, two shots higher than his previous worst ever at the Emirates Golf Club, nor was his swing or his putting stroke.
Woods had also looked rusty last week when he played his first fullfield PGA Tour event in 17 months after being sidelined by back pain and spine surgery, and missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
He reached the turn yesterday in a 3over 40 after two bogeys in his opening three holes.
Starting on the back nine, he bogeyed the par5 opener after finding a bunker and dropped another shot at the 12th.
At the par5 18th, his approach shot fell short of the green and rolled back into the water for his third bogey of the day.
The fifth turned into a threeputt bogey and he missed par from 1.5m on the next.
While Woods struggled, Garcia fired a first round 65 to set the early target and open up a oneshot clubhouse lead over Chile’s Felipe Aguilar and South African George Coetzee.
‘‘It was a nice way to start, a good solid round,’’ Garcia said.
Defending champion Danny Willett, the US Masters winner who was playing alongside Woods and fellow Briton Matt Fitzpatrick (69), started with a oneunder 71. — Reuters