Update on Tiger Wood's neck injury
He's inflamed passion in his fans and, well, other people, as well as outrage in his critics. So perhaps it's fitting that Tiger Woods has been laid low with an inflamed joint in his neck.
On his website yesterday, Woods' preferred method of communicating to the world at large (or keeping it at arm's length), an update revealed that: "Tiger was expecting a full recovery after an MRI scan". Anyone unfortunate enough to be afflicted by a swollen facet joint apparently faces neck pain, difficulty in rotating the head, and headaches - not that the latter complaint will be a novel experience for the 34-year-old.
"I want to thank everyone for their caring and concern," Woods said. "I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I'm physically able."
The statement revealed that: "Physical therapy, including soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medicine will be used to treat the injury”. We also learned that while "a return date to competitive golf is contingent on how quickly the condition heals, the layoff is not expected to be extensive but can vary."
So barring disaster, Woods should be back on the fairways sooner rather than later, though we suppose Woods has left himself an out - useful if his neck improves before his game, perhaps.
Woods pulled out of last week's Players Championship with the injury on Sunday, though there's been speculation the 14-time major winner was exaggerating the severity of the problem in order to quit because of his disappointing play. Woods was two-over on the day when he withdrew on the 7th hole, saying the problem had stemmed from "before the Masters", even though a few days earlier when asked about his health he'd said he was a hundred per cent fine. Of course, it's not unknown for Woods to keep his cards close to his chest.
Even with Woods taking another temporary break from the game, it's been an eventful week for the disgraced player (these days, when isn't it?). Following speculation that the golfer was planning on dispensing with the services of his swing coach Hank Haney, Haney himself announced he was stepping down on Monday, seemingly catching Woods on the hop in the process. No word yet on who the new swing coach will be.
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