As revealed @tourmiss Tiger Woods is heading immediately to a back therapist after posting a shock seven-over par 78 on the opening day of the 178th Open Championship.
Woods was clearly in some discomfort from the outset given play was slow and whenever there was a delay, Woods was swinging a club continually on the tee to stay ‘loose’.
However, there was a shot left the par-5 7th hole that could have been cause for alarm when he grimaced noticeably following his second shot that travelled around 100-yards.
There was another strong grimace when Woods sent a shot down the 10th about 70-yards.
Tiger Woods hits off at the start of his opening round at Royal Portrush.
The only joy for Woods was holing about a 20-foot left of the flag at the par-4 15th and he reacted superbly to the crowd’s applause raising both arms in the air.
Here in his own words was Woods reaction to his round that included just the one birdie on 16 but also six bogeys and a sixth hole double-bogey.
A couple of loose shots took the wind out of your sails?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I didn’t do much out there today. I hit a lot of missed shots, they were all left. Wasn’t hitting it solid. Everything was off the heel. Just trying to scrape it around.Best I could do was 7-over.
Q. Did you feel physically okay out there? Were you physically all right?
TIGER WOODS: Depends how you ask that question (laughter).
Q. Were you in pain?
TIGER WOODS: I’m sore, yes. I’m sore.
Q. Are there certain shots that you can’t do the way you used to do?
TIGER WOODS: Yes, there are.
Q. Is that why you were hitting it left?
TIGER WOODS: No, I’m just not moving as well as I’d like. And unfortunately, you’ve got to be able to move, and especially under these conditions, shape the golf ball. And I didn’t do it. I didn’t shape the golf ball at all. Everything was left-to-right. And wasn’t hitting very solidly.
Q. How disconcerting is that that you can’t move like a few months ago?
TIGER WOODS: Just the way it is. Just Father Time and some procedures I’ve had over the time. Just the way it’s going to be.
As I said, one of the reasons why I’m playing less tournaments this year is that I can hopefully prolong my career, and be out here for a little bit longer.
Q. Are you going straight for some treatment?
TIGER WOODS: Yes, I am.
Q. Is it any worse than at any time since you’ve come back, right now? Is this par for the course when you have your bad days or is it worse?
TIGER WOODS: It depends. If I am at home and have school pick-up and soccer practices, I’m a lot more sore than I am now. But playing at this elite level is a completely different deal. You’ve got to be spot on. These guys are too good, there are too many guys that are playing well and I’m just not one of them.
Q. Will you definitely go out tomorrow?
TIGER WOODS: I’ll be there.
Q. You are a realist, we learned over the years. Did you have any inkling this might be?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, my warmup wasn’t very good. I had a hard time moving. And just trying to piece together a swing that will get me around a golf course. And then all of a sudden I made probably one of the best pars you’ve ever seen on 1 today. That was a pretty good start. But it was kind of downhill from there.
Q. You mentioned Tuesday that you were trying to manage your body and schedule while also win tournaments. Are you finding that process to be more difficult than imagined and if so, why?
TIGER WOODS: It’s going to be a lot more difficult. I’m not 24 anymore. Life changes, life moves on. And I can’t devote, as I’ve told you this many times, I can’t devote the hours to practice like I used to. Standing on the range, hitting balls for four or five hours, go play 36, come back, run 4 or 5 miles and then go to the gym. Those days are gone, okay?
I have to be realistic about my expectations and hopefully peaking at the right time. I peaked at Augusta well. And hopefully I can peak a few more times this year.
Q. In addition to the treatment, what else can you specifically do tonight to be as ready as possible for tomorrow?
TIGER WOODS: That’s about it. That’s about all I can do. And hopefully the body responds. That’s just the nature of the procedure that I had. I’m going to have days like this, and got to fight through it. And I fought through it. Unfortunately I did not post a very good score.
Q. What way do you feel differently now than you did going into the Masters?
TIGER WOODS: For some reason I found something in my golf swing that allowed me to start shaping the golf ball high and draw the ball again. And once I found that playing that golf course, I felt comfortable. And all of a sudden by, I’d say, Tuesday afternoon my putting stroke came around. And then from there it was just managing my way around the golf course, making sure that I didn’t do anything stupid and put myself in position come Sunday because I was playing well enough and feeling good enough to do
