Tiger Woods’ back began acting up again and he withdrew on his 12th hole in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, where play was delayed for more than two hours by fog.
Woods said his back tightened up during his long wait to start on the 10th hole of the North Course.
“It just never loosened back up again,” said Woods, who played only seven official tournaments on the PGA Tour last year because of two back injuries, one which required surgery. “And when we went back out, it just got progressively tighter.
“It’s frustrating that it started shutting down like that. I was ready to go. I had a good warm-up session the first time around. Then we stood out here and I got cold, and everything started deactivating again. And it’s frustrating that I just can’t stay activated. That’s just kind of the way it is.”
Woods carded bogeys on two of his first three holes after starting at No. 10, again struggling with his short game, but chipped in for par at No. 11.
After making birdies on the 16th and first holes to get back to even par, he hit a series of poor shots at No. 2, where he posted a double-bogey 6. After reaching the green on the third hole, he shook hands with playing partners Billy Horschel and Rickie Fowler before walking off the course.
Woods, who missed the cut in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in his first start of the year, said he has not had any back problems while preparing for this season at home.
