Top golfers make out prescriptions for Woods

As the game waited anxiously for news of the severity of Tiger Woods's back injury, Sir Nick Faldo warned the 14-time Major champion that he must change his swing to prolong his career, while Rory McIlroy urged his friend to take a break.

Woods withdrew after eight holes of the final round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday, clearly in agony due to his lower back.

It was only his 10th competitive round since returning from the microdiscectomy surgery he underwent in March and the concerns about his participation in this week's US PGA and next month's Ryder Cup were pronounced.

McIlroy was watching in his hotel room before his final round and the eventual Akron champion admitted it was an uncomfortable experience.

"I felt bad, I really did," he said. "Golf really needs Tiger and he's had a few withdrawals over the past few years.

"I think the first thing he needs to do is just get fit and 100% healthy - even take the year off just to be able to do that. And come back next year ready to play again."

Faldo is another to look past this season's US PGA and Ryder Cup and see the big picture. The Englishman feels the 38-year-old must find a new technique other than that taught to him by Sean Foley, the coach Woods has been with for four years.

"There is a lot of torque on his back with his swing at the moment," Faldo said. "Adam Scott used to try to copy Tiger, but Tiger should now watch him. Adam 'covers' the ball with his right shoulder and there is absolutely no stress on his spine. Tiger has a problem and has to make compensations with his swing."

Others have been even more damning about Foley's influence, with Brandel Chamblee, the American who has made a name for himself by being Woods's most vocal critic, saying the Foley-inspired swing is the underlying reason for the injury.

"Woods reminds me of an ageing Hollywood actor who has had too much plastic surgery," the Golf-Channel analyst said. "He is unrecognisable."

There have been other theories put forward to explain Woods's spinal predicament, the favourite being that he has spent too much time in the gym.

But everyone seems in agreement that Woods came back too soon from the operation in desperation to resume the chase of Jack Nicklaus's major tally.

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