LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One day after Tiger Woods had his world rocked — and his career possibly sidetracked — by yet another episode of back spasms severe enough to force him to withdraw during the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, there was no word Monday on whether he’ll play in this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Woods flew back to Florida immediately after leaving Firestone Country Club in pain Sunday and was to see doctors on Monday.
His agent, Mark Steinberg, indicated Woods has not ruled out playing in the PGA this week, but he said a decision might not be made until as late as Wednesday, as Woods tries to rest the back.
Woods is scheduled to tee off in his opening round at 8:35 a.m. Thursday alongside Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington.
Steinberg, in an email to ESPN.com, said it’s “way too early’’ to determine whether Woods can play, adding, “He has to rest and get treatment and then assess later. [It’s] pointless to make that decision now without proper time to give him best chance. Nothing further [Monday], maybe [not] even [Tuesday].’’
Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, drove the six hours from Ohio to Kentucky on Sunday night and was walking the Valhalla course Monday morning, charting it as if Woods will be playing Thursday.
“Have I ever walked a course when I didn’t know if my guy was playing? Yes. With Fred [Couples],’’ LaCava said. “It happens. In a major? I don’t know. With Tiger, I went to Boston [last year] when he hurt himself at Barclays. I walked Doral this year. I would have anyway — it was a new course — after he withdrew from Honda.”
LaCava did not have any new information on Woods’ condition, but he said he was “optimistic’’ about Woods playing.
“I’m hoping he plays,” LaCava said, “so I’m just doing whatever work I would normally do.”
Asked when he knew Woods was hurt Sunday, LaCava said, “When he fatted the one on 3 (a 9-iron into a pond), which he never does. He never fats them like that.”
Asked if he’s surprised Woods made it to the ninth hole, LaCava said, “He’s tough. Tough and stubborn would be two good words.”
For Woods, 69th on the Ryder Cup points list, it is getting late early in his 2014 season. He also is miles away from qualifying for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, seemingly his only chance of playing his way into being one of Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson’s three wild-card picks.
On Monday, in the wake of Woods’ withdrawal, Watson said the latest injury “doesn’t bode well right now” for Woods’ chances to be selected to the team.
The WGC-Bridgestone was only Woods’ third tournament since his March 31 back surgery, spanning nine-and-a-half rounds.
Watson told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio he was watching the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone when Woods withdrew after hitting his tee shot on the ninth hole.
“Tiger would be a great addition to our team,” Watson said. “As I’ve said all along, I would pick Tiger Woods if he’s healthy and playing well. This doesn’t bode well right now. I just hope that maybe it’s just an isolated problem that he can turn around and possibly play this week at the PGA.
“I watched him play almost the entire front nine. And the shot he had at 5 (an iron shot way short of the green), I said, ‘Something’s wrong with Tiger.’ You don’t hit that terrible a shot ever — ever. And then, of course, No. 9, he just couldn’t go any farther. It concerns me because that’s an injury that seems like he tried to address before and he’s come back from that particular injury.”
Watson said he sent Woods a text to tell him he was sorry about the injury, reading: “I hope you get well soon.”
Andy North, the ESPN analyst who is also one of Watson’s assistant captains on the Ryder Cup team, was at Firestone and said Woods was furious about getting hurt again.
Woods has already missed two majors and three months of the season after surgery. He has no chance of making the Ryder Cup team on points unless he plays — and wins — the PGA Championship this week.
If he can’t play this week, that would be the end of his PGA Tour season until after the Ryder Cup — unless he opted to go play some events in Europe to get some reps, which seems highly unlikely.