Pacific Palisides, CA …
The long-time manager to Tiger Woods has found himself having to defend Woods’ decision to pull the plug on a pre-Genesis Open press conference in suburban Los Angeles.
This is after Woods was advised by doctors to ‘limit activities’ after withdrawing with back spasms from last fortnight’s Dubai Desert Classic.
Woods indicated late last month he intended to compete this week at the Riviera course, where his Tiger Woods Foundation is hosting the $UDS 7.2m event, and also contest next week’s Honda Classic, and a venue no more than 20-minutes from his Florida abode.
Mark Steinberg and Tiger Woods.
But that was before Woods struggled to shoot one round of a horror 77 in Dubai.
“This is more precautionary,” said Woods’s long time agent Mark Steinberg.
“This isn’t about him not doing a press conference. What is going to be accomplished? What is he going to say? That he hopes his back spasms calm down.
“This is about the Genesis Open, the Tiger Woods Foundation and supporting Hyundai and his foundation. He is doing all he can without having to get up and move around all that much so that he can put himself in the best position to recover.
“He is just having a hard time getting these spasms to calm down. And he’s working on that on an hourly basis. He’s got personnel working with him to help pacify that.”
When it was suggested to Steinberg that the long-term prospects look bleak, he added: “To the outside world, it’s up to you to draw that conclusion.
“Tiger remains pretty confident in the fact that these spasms are something he knows will calm down. He’s just working around the clock to make that happen.
“He’s got an intense dedication to get back to the point where he can be out there practising and in public and working toward his goal.”
Woods was aged just 16 years when he made his PGA Tour in 1992 at Riviera and after turning pro in 1996 he competed at Riviera on eight occasions but it’s one title that has always alluded him.
Woods has also pulled out next week’s Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens and just a 20-minute drive from his Jupiter Island abode.
