Tiger Woods reportedly woke up with a stiff neck Thursday morning, showing up at Carnoustie with strips of kinesiology tape visible from beneath his shirt and sweater vest. Images of Woods on the Golf Channel broadcast raised eyebrows on social media and drew note from commentators.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen Tiger with KT tape very visible,” Nick Faldo said on the Golf Channel broadcast.
According to USA Today reporter Steve DiMeglio, Woods’s representatives eased any concerns. “Per his camp: Tiger Woods woke up with stiff neck, put on KT tape and quickly felt better. No big deal, nothing major,” DiMeglio tweeted.
Per his camp: @TigerWoods woke up with stiff neck, put on KT tape and quickly felt better. No big deal, nothing major.
— Steve DiMeglio (@Steve_DiMeglio) July 19, 2018
Roger Maltbie later confirmed word from Woods’s camp. “Well, the story is that it’s really a common malady, it’s happened to us all,” Maltbie said. “Slept funny last night on the pillow and woke up with a stiff neck. Got early treatment before he came out to the range and put on the KT tape in an effort to relax and loosen up that neck.”
Woods tees off at 3:21 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Knox.
