Tiger Woods has blamed deactivated glute muscles as his mid-round withdrawal from the US PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines continued a troubling trend.
The former world No.1 was wincing and favouring his back from early in his first round after waiting over two hours to start due to fog.
Continuing his comeback from back surgery last March, Woods was two-over-par through 11 holes when he quit the course, having sent several shots fanning to the right and also suffered more chipping woes.
He has now withdrawn from three of his last eight tournaments.
“When we had that break. (My back) just never loosened back up again. And when we went back out, it just got progressively tighter,” Woods said.
“It’s frustrating that it started shutting down like that. I had a good warm-up session the first time around.
“Then we stood out here and I got cold, and everything started deactivating again.
“It’s just my glutes are shutting off. Then they don’t activate and then, hence, it goes into my lower back.”
The 14-times major champion won five times in 2013 when he was US PGA Tour player of the year but he’s never looked further from the top than now – beset by injury and form issues.
Attempting to adapt to his latest coach and swing change, he was no doubt hoping for a confidence boost at Torrey Pines, where his eight titles include his most recent major title, the 2008 US Open.
Instead he’s now contemplating falling from 56th to his worst world ranking since his first US tour victory back in 1996.
Desperately hoping to go into the Masters in April in decent shape, Woods is not scheduled to play again until the Honda Classic in three weeks and he seems unlikely to qualify for the World Golf Championships event at Doral the following week.
In an incomplete opening round at Torrey Pines, American Nicholas Thompson took the clubhouse lead with an eight-under 64 on the easier north course, one clear of countryman Michael Thompson who was second alone after a 65 also on the north.
Robert Allenby and Greg Chalmers shared top Aussie honours after shooting two-under 70s on the north side to be tied 29th.
Aaron Baddeley (71) and Cameron Percy (-1, through 16) were the only other Australians under par, having played the north.
John Senden briefly held a share of second place late in his round on the north but dropped five shots in his last seven holes to shoot 72.
Marc Leishman was even through 17 on the south while Jason Day (17 holes south), Cameron Smith (73 north) and Jarrod Lyle (73 north) were at one-over.
Stuart Appleby struggled to be four-over through 15 holes on the south.
