Another scare for organisers as Woods hit by back problems

ALREADY bitterly disappointed at the withdrawal of world number one Vijay Singh on Monday night, the organisers of the Amex World Championship at Mount Juliet received another scare yesterday.

Tiger Woods left the course at lunchtime, having apparently wrenched his back hitting a drive off the first tee.

Woods was seen to hold his back as the ball sailed into the left rough. He knocked a second drive down the fairway and pondered what he might do next before heading for the clubhouse, sending his caddy Steve Williams to recover the two golf balls.

He subsequently had physiotherapy but there is little fear of his participation in the tournament.

While he did seem to suffer some minor inconvenience in his brief spell on the course, he also had a commitment to his Nike sponsors at 3 o'clock and it may be that he felt he didn't have the time to play more than a handful of holes.

Approximately 60 Nike clients were entertained by Woods at a clinic at Mount Juliet's academy and while reports indicate he was in great form and joked and chatted with his audience, he didn't hit a single shot and just sat in his chair for a questions and answers session.

He is due in the media tent at 10.30 this morning having practised over the course on which he shot 25 under to win the Amex championship two years ago.

Woods has been drawn to partner Luke Donald, one of the European Ryder Cup heroes, and Korean K.J. Choi in the first round tomorrow starting on the first tee at 12.30.

Although there is little chance of weather as favourable as the 2002 event, the forecast is reasonably bright. There was a respectable attendance yesterday and that is sure to be considerably swelled today when the field of 74, including 44 of the world's top 50, tackle the Jack Nicklaus designed layout.