LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For the second consecutive day there was no news on the ailing Tiger Woods and whether he will play this week’s PGA Championship or not.
Woods, who withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on the ninth hole of his final round Sunday with back spasms, on Tuesday remained in Florida, resting and rehabbing his back on which he had surgery March 31.
Technically, Woods has until his 8:35 a.m. first-round tee time Thursday to show up and play. It’s more likely, however, he will make a final decision by Wednesday.
Shawn Stefani, the first alternate, is waiting for Woods’ decision, with more at stake than anyone.
Martin Kaymer, who played the first two rounds of Bridgestone with Woods, said on Tuesday it’s “very difficult to describe his game right now’’ because there is good and bad in it.
“The first round, the first nine, he hit some amazing shots, like a couple iron shots to tap‑-ins,’’ Kaymer said. “And then he hit some shots, they were fairly far away from the target. There was the second hole when he missed the tee shot left of the third fairway in Firestone, so that’s obviously way left. But he made four [a birdie]. So I think it’s very difficult to describe his game right now. He was very unlucky with a lot of putts, as well. What I was very impressed about was the chipping. The way he chipped them was so pure. He just nipped them off the ground. For me, it’s probably the best chipping action. It just looks so easy and so much control.
“It’s such a shame that he had to pull out last week and I hope — everybody hopes — that he will come back and play this week.’’
“Obviously everybody wants him to be back at the golf tournaments. If you win a big tournament without Tiger in the field, you still feel very happy about it, but you want to play against him. It’s nice if he’s part of every tournament. He brings a lot of people into it. It has a different flair. It brings a little bit more into a golf tournament.”
Kaymer could not guess whether Woods will play this week.
“If I had injuries like this, I would probably make really, really sure that I’m healthy,” he said. “Because he’s 38 years old, so hopefully he will have another 10, 15 years of competing against the guys on the PGA Tour, and that he reaches his goal of 18 majors or maybe 19.’’
Bubba Watson, with whom Woods played in the final round Sunday before he withdrew, said back injuries are tough.
“Obviously this is a serious issue that he’s dealing with. I’ve never had an issue like this,” he said. “I’ve never had back problems. It’s unfortunate for our game. He grows the game. He moves the needle more than anybody else.
“I think Tiger, as soon as he gets back healthy, he’s going to be back performing at a high level. The man, just a year ago, won five times and was Player of the Year. So I don’t think he’s far off.’’
Phil Mickelson, 10th on the Ryder Cup points list, sounded confident on Tuesday he will be able to play his way into the top 9, which would give him an automatic berth onto the team, rather than hope for Tom Watson to pick him as a wild card.
“I really do believe that after the way I played on the weekend, I think I’ll continue that play into this week and I’m confident that I’ll get on the team on my own and won’t require that pick, and I want to keep that streak going of two decades that I have,’’ Mickelson said. “I want to keep that going of making the team on my own and not needing a pick.’’