Mark Konezny/USA Today Sports, via Reuters
JERSEY CITY — Tiger Woods withdrew from the Northern Trust Friday morning, a few hours before his 12:33 p.m. tee time, citing a mild oblique sprain. It is the first time that he has failed to finish an event that he started since he returned to competitive golf last year from spinal fusion surgery, which he described as “a last resort” after three less complex operations.
The last time Woods, 43, pulled out of a PGA Tour event after the action started was at the Farmers Insurance Open in 2015. By the end of that year he had undergone two back procedures.