TOP-RANKED RORY MCILROY took his first look at the Valhalla layout last night ahead of the 96th PGA Championship while Tiger Woods was in Florida having treatment on his aching back.
Golf’s current and former superstars were on vastly different trajectories for the year’s final major tournament with McIlroy going for a hat-trick of wins and Woods’ status in doubt a day after a painful exit at the World Golf Championships event in Akron, Ohio.
McIlroy won his third major title last month at the British Open and took his first WGC crown Sunday at Akron so arrives at Valhalla as a clear favourite and the first player since Woods in 2009 to enter a major after back-to-back wins.
“It’s great to have a chance to try to go there to try to win three in a row,” McIlroy said. “(It’s) one I desperately want to win.”
McIlroy overtook Australian Adam Scott for the world number one ranking after winning Sunday.
“My goal now until the end of the year is just to try to win as many golf tournaments as I can. It’s not to try to finish number one,” McIlroy said.
“I feel like with the way I’m playing there’s a few left in me this year.”
Woods was supposed to be practising Monday at Valhalla, where he won the 2000 PGA title, but instead was in Florida having his back examined while the course was examined by caddie Joe LaCava, who had to help Woods put on his shoes in the parking lot after he withdrew from the final round in Akron with back spasms.
Advertisement
The shot that appears to have caused Woods' latest injury. Mark Duncan / AP/Press Association Images
Mark Duncan / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told ESPN Monday that the star’s ability to play might not be decided until the eve of the tournament.
“Way too early,” Steinberg said in a text message. “He has to rest and get treatment and then assess later… Nothing further today, maybe (not) even tomorrow.”
Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, underwent back surgery on March 31 to ease a pinched nerve and returned in Washington in late June, missing the cut at the US PGA event his foundation owns.
After posting his worst 72-hole result in a major by sharing 69th place at the British Open, Woods “jarred” his back by hopping into a bunker after hitting his second shot Sunday at the second hole at Firestone.
Playing through pain, Woods lasted until hitting his tee shot at the ninth and then walked off.
“It’s just the whole lower back,” Woods said.
Rivals want Tiger Back
That left Phil Mickelson, who fired his low round of the year Sunday with a 62, not knowing whether he and Padraig Harrington will be playing alongside Woods or not in the first two rounds.
“It didn’t look good. It looked like he was really in pain,” Mickelson said.
“I hope he’s OK. I hope he’s able to play. I hope it’s a muscle and nothing serious because I’m really looking forward to playing with him.
“As much as I love playing with him, playing against him, trying to beat him, we all want him in the field. We all want him back. I just hope he’s OK.”
Reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson went back to Woods’ most recent major victory, on a broken leg at the 2008 US Open, to cite his ability to cope with pain and pressure and still win.
Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson playing together last weekend. Mark Duncan / AP/Press Association Images
Mark Duncan / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
“This man won a tournament with a hurt leg, so he’s going to try to be a champion, try to tough it out,” Watson said. “Obviously, it got too tough for him.
“He was brought up a military man just like myself and you try not to show it.”
That leaves the stage to McIlroy, who won his first major at the 2011 US Open and added the PGA Championship in 2012.
“Obviously, Rory’s in incredible form at the moment,” says Adam Scott.
“He’ll be the man to beat by the looks of things, and I’ll be gunning for him for sure.”
McIlroy averaged a PGA season-best 334 yards off the tee last week and ranked 12th in driving accuracy while leading in greens reached in regulation as well.
That enabled him to hold off Spain’s Sergio Garcia down the stretch as he had at the British Open.
The 34-year-old Spaniard, seeking his first major title, has finished second in his past three starts and has six top-four US PGA showings this year without a victory.
“Sergio has been playing really well, and he has come close a few times,” McIlroy said. “I think another win is right around the corner for him as well.”
McIlroy seeks hat-trick but Tiger nowhere to be seen at Valhalla
TOP-RANKED RORY MCILROY took his first look at the Valhalla layout last night ahead of the 96th PGA Championship while Tiger Woods was in Florida having treatment on his aching back.
Golf’s current and former superstars were on vastly different trajectories for the year’s final major tournament with McIlroy going for a hat-trick of wins and Woods’ status in doubt a day after a painful exit at the World Golf Championships event in Akron, Ohio.
McIlroy won his third major title last month at the British Open and took his first WGC crown Sunday at Akron so arrives at Valhalla as a clear favourite and the first player since Woods in 2009 to enter a major after back-to-back wins.
McIlroy overtook Australian Adam Scott for the world number one ranking after winning Sunday.
“My goal now until the end of the year is just to try to win as many golf tournaments as I can. It’s not to try to finish number one,” McIlroy said.
“I feel like with the way I’m playing there’s a few left in me this year.”
Woods was supposed to be practising Monday at Valhalla, where he won the 2000 PGA title, but instead was in Florida having his back examined while the course was examined by caddie Joe LaCava, who had to help Woods put on his shoes in the parking lot after he withdrew from the final round in Akron with back spasms.
Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told ESPN Monday that the star’s ability to play might not be decided until the eve of the tournament.
Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, underwent back surgery on March 31 to ease a pinched nerve and returned in Washington in late June, missing the cut at the US PGA event his foundation owns.
After posting his worst 72-hole result in a major by sharing 69th place at the British Open, Woods “jarred” his back by hopping into a bunker after hitting his second shot Sunday at the second hole at Firestone.
Playing through pain, Woods lasted until hitting his tee shot at the ninth and then walked off.
“It’s just the whole lower back,” Woods said.
Rivals want Tiger Back
That left Phil Mickelson, who fired his low round of the year Sunday with a 62, not knowing whether he and Padraig Harrington will be playing alongside Woods or not in the first two rounds.
“It didn’t look good. It looked like he was really in pain,” Mickelson said.
“I hope he’s OK. I hope he’s able to play. I hope it’s a muscle and nothing serious because I’m really looking forward to playing with him.
Reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson went back to Woods’ most recent major victory, on a broken leg at the 2008 US Open, to cite his ability to cope with pain and pressure and still win.
“This man won a tournament with a hurt leg, so he’s going to try to be a champion, try to tough it out,” Watson said. “Obviously, it got too tough for him.
“He was brought up a military man just like myself and you try not to show it.”
That leaves the stage to McIlroy, who won his first major at the 2011 US Open and added the PGA Championship in 2012.
“Obviously, Rory’s in incredible form at the moment,” says Adam Scott.
McIlroy averaged a PGA season-best 334 yards off the tee last week and ranked 12th in driving accuracy while leading in greens reached in regulation as well.
That enabled him to hold off Spain’s Sergio Garcia down the stretch as he had at the British Open.
The 34-year-old Spaniard, seeking his first major title, has finished second in his past three starts and has six top-four US PGA showings this year without a victory.
“Sergio has been playing really well, and he has come close a few times,” McIlroy said. “I think another win is right around the corner for him as well.”
- © AFP, 2014
‘There’s a few wins left in me this year’: McIlroy back on top and feeling good
McIlroy hoping for ‘springboard’ effect as he leads field into Valhalla
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Golf In the Swing On a Roll Rory McIlroy Tiger Woods US PGA US PGA 2014