Tiger Woods Withdraws From Dubai

By ESPN

Tiger Woods withdrew from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Friday morning before even beginning play due to a back spasm he began suffering following dinner on Thursday night.

Woods' agent Mark Steinberg said the problem is not related to the nerve issues that have plagued the 14-time major champion over the past few years and that have resulted in three surgeries, the last coming in August 2015.

"He says it's not the nerve pain that's kept him out for so long,'' Steinberg said at Emirates Golf Club, where Woods did not even start the second round.

Woods, 41, was being paid a 7-figure appearance fee to play in the tournament, the first time he has ventured to the Middle East for an event in three years.

He shot an opening-round 77 that included 5 bogeys and no birdies on Thursday. It was his worst score in 29 rounds at Emirates Golf Club, where he has won twice and finished in the top five on five occasions.

At times during the first round, Woods appeared to be in distress, walking tentatively and being careful when lining up putts. This was just his third tournament start in the last 18 months following his return in December at the Hero World Challenge and last week's Farmers Insurance Open, where he missed the cut.

"No, I wasn't in pain at all,'' Woods said when asked directly about it after the first round. "I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn't doing a very good job.''

Woods was unlikely to make the 36-hole cut, which is projected at even par. It would have meant Woods probably needed to shoot 5-under-par 67. Steinberg said Woods could move, he just was unable to make a full rotation.

He called it a "short-term prognosis'' and hopes that "he'll be strong based on the fact it's not nerve pain.''

Kuchar Leads in Phoenix

Matt Kuchar hardly looked like a guy coming off a seven-week break Thursday in the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Kuchar eagled the par-5 13th and added two late birdies and a big par save on the rowdy par-3 16th hole in an opening 7-under 64 at TPC Scottsdale.

"It was so nice to be home," Kuchar said. "Our kids got to play basketball. This is basketball season back home. I have always been traveling out west, so it was fun for me to be home, be dad, go to basketball games and practices. But we had such good weather, I got good practice in. My boys are now 7 and 9, and they're into golf, as well. In the afternoons, we'd sneak out and play a few holes. Wasn't too rusty."

Playing in perfect afternoon conditions in front of a crowd estimated at 103,420, Kuchar took a one-stroke lead over defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and Brendan Steele.

"Someone told me it was 5 million," Kuchar joked about the crowd. "So many people out here. It's a good buzz. It's a good vibe."

He made a 25-foot eagle putt on 13.