Ending much speculation about his availability for the year’s final major after claims of back spasms ended his final round Sunday, Tiger Woods showed up for a practice round at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky — and showed no signs of discomfort.
Woods’ status for the PGA Championship has been in question since he withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with severe back pain Sunday in Akron, Ohio. It was just his third event since undergoing surgery to alleviate a pinched nerve in his back on March 31.
He teed off in his practice round a little after 2 p.m. Wednesday with Steve Stricker, who was just named an assistant captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup team by captain Tom Watson.
Woods, 38, is scheduled to tee off for the first round at 8:35 a.m. Thursday with Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington.
Because of injuries, Woods has already missed the Masters and the U.S. Open this year. He tied for 69th last month at the Open Championship. A four-time winner of the PGA, Woods won the tournament when it was played here in 2000.
This is the latest Woods has ever arrived for a major. He has not seen Valhalla since he won the PGA Championship in dramatic fashion in 2000 in a playoff over Bob May.
