Back problem could rule Woods out

TIGER WOODS remains a doubtful starter for the €5.7 million American Express World Championship starting at Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny, this morning.

Woods played just seven holes in practice yesterday as he continues to be bothered by back pain.

The former World number one is not as well prepared for the challenge as in 2002, when he shot 25 under in winning the title.

“There is a little doubt that I won’t be able to play,” said Woods, much to the dismay of the sponsors and organisers already reeling from the defection of Vijay Singh on Monday.

“I could have played all 18 today but it would have been very tough. Hopefully, it will be a little easier to play 18 holes tomorrow. I will make a decision after my warm-up session.

“I loosened up in the trailer today and went out and hit a few balls. It was sore but I could manage that. I quit after seven as I didn’t want to push it any further. The pain is on my left side between the shoulder blades.”

Woods revealed the problem surfaced last week after he slept awkwardly flying home to Florida after launching his new computer game in New York.

“I fell asleep, it spasmed and the back hasn’t been the same since,” he said.

If the worst comes to the worst, the absence of Singh and Woods would make it just a little easier for everybody else in the elite 68-strong field including, of course, the four-strong Irish contingent and former local tournament pro Padraig Harrington.

The latter, however, is in no doubt that Woods will soon be fighting to regain his number one spot in the world.

“Tiger was performing at the very highest level in 2000 and obviously he sought to improve on that which is the nature of any competitive athlete,” Harrington said.

“We’re always trying to improve. At that level, to try and make one step forward you sometimes take two back. Tiger has taken a little bit of the shine off his game but that doesn’t mean he won’t come out a better player in another year’s time or even this week.”

Tiger acknowledged Harrington’s comments while observing on the latter point that: “I would just like to be able to play.”