MRI shows Woods is down with inflamed neck joint

New York, May 13 (ANI): An MRI has revealed that golfer Tiger Woods has an inflamed neck joint that causes pain and makes it hard to turn his head.

Woods had to withdraw from the final round of The Players Championship on Sunday after a week in which he was seen stretching and rolling his neck.

The CBS quoted Woods as saying on his website that his neck had been bothering him since before he returned from a five-month layoff at the Masters, and that it was not related to the November 27 car accident when he ran into a tree, setting off revelations of infidelity.

"I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I'm physically able," Woods added.

Woods said treatment would include physical therapy, such as soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medicine. He said the prognosis was for a full recovery, and while the layoff is not expected to be long, rehab can vary.

"I want to practice, I want to play, I want to compete, but this (neck) is not allowing me to do the things that I need to do on my golf swing to hit the proper shots. I need to get to where I can do that again," he said. (ANI)