Dubai: Tiger Woods has pulled out ahead of Friday’s second round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club after suffering from a back spasm.
The 14-time Major winner and former World No. 1 shot five over par 77 in Thursday’s first round, leaving him tied for 124th in the leaderboard 12 strokes off leader Sergio Garcia.
It was his worst score in Dubai in 29 rounds and left him on the verge of a first missed cut here in eight appearances.
This was only his third tournament back after a 15-month back injury lay-off.
His manager Mark Steinberg told press: “He felt OK coming off the golf course yesterday, he wasn’t in pain.
“But then his lower back went into spasm fairly late last night after dinner.
“He tried to work it out last night but didn’t really get it worked out.
“Then he had treatment on it starting pretty early this morning, for probably the past three hours, but he can’t get the spasm [out].
“He says it’s not the nerve pain that’s kept him out for so long, he says it’s a back spasm and he just can’t get it to calm down. So that’s where we are, he feels terrible.
“He wanted to be here, he wants to be here. He just feels terrible that he can’t finish it out today."
Desert Classic suspended due to high winds
Play has been suspended for the day at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic due to high winds and will resume from 7.30am on Saturday morning.
South Africa’s George Coetzee was leading by a stroke at nine under par at the time of the suspension, which was around 2.30pm.
Coetzee, who was tied for second on 66 overnight, was three under through to the eighth hole with four birdies and a bogey before play was abandoned.
He had leapt ahead of overnight leader Sergio Garcia, who was one under through five, with two birdies and a bogey adding to his first round leading score of 65.
Players who didn’t complete their second round on Friday – which is half the field – will come out early on Saturday to resume play from where they left off.
The cut will then be made upon completion of the second round before the third round starts as usual.
