Rory McIlroy sheds new light on Tiger’s latest injury

Rory McIlroy has cast some further light on the latest injury to have sidelined Tiger Woods, saying that he saw the 14-time major winner receiving treatment at the WGC-Mexico Championship a fortnight ago.

Woods, who declined to speak to the media twice during the first World Golf Championship of 2019, announced on Monday that he would be sitting out this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“Unfortunately due to a neck strain that I’ve had for a few weeks, I’m forced to withdraw from the API,” he tweeted. “I’ve been receiving treatment, but it hasn’t improved enough to play.”

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The former world No.1 added that the injury was unrelated to the back issues that derailed his career for almost two years between 2016 and 2017, and that he hopes to be able to take part in next week’ Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

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McIlroy, the defending champion at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, told the Golf Channel yesterday that he had witnessed Woods getting worked on first hand recently.

“I hope he’s okay,” said the 29-year-old. “I saw him in Mexico getting treatment before and after he played and he did have some tape on sort of his upper back, so he was dealing with it back then as well.”

Woods, as you may recall, gave golf fans a fright last July when he showed up for the first round of the Open Championship at Carnoustie with KT Tape stuck to his neck, above. He did, though, go on to finish in a tie for sixth in Angus. It is unclear whether the two issues are related.