Matt Kuchar hopes back problems are in his past
PARAMUS, N.J. – Blunt trauma didn't knock Matt Kuchar's back out of whack.
Nor did lifting something much too heavy without bending down properly cause his back to shift out of alignment.
And years and years of violent golf swings weren't the culprit.
A Slip 'N Slide was.
Actually, the potential procurement of the wave-riding toy led to his back locking and forced Kuchar out of the PGA Championship two weeks ago.
Kuchar missed his first major in the past 23 played because he walked aisle after aisle in store after store looking for the toy needed for a party at the rented house and then another hour sitting through traffic.
"I've had (the back) lock up but not to the point where it kept me out for an entire day," said Kuchar, who added that as soon as he stepped out of the car he was in pain.
Treatment didn't help and Kuchar couldn't loosen up the back enough to play during his warm-up session.
With the help of a chiropractor, massage therapist and physical therapist, Kuchar's back is back in line and he's ready to tackle the FedExCup Playoffs beginning Thursday in The Barclays at Ridgefield Country Club.
"I'm feeling good, feeling strong," Kuchar said Tuesday. "It was an odd thing. I've never had to pull out of a tournament before. … I had played a couple practice rounds at Valhalla and I was feeling pretty good my game. That was too bad.
" … "It's interesting, whenever you're ill, injured, it crosses your mind that you may never be healthy again, and then now I'm healthy I think, I'm never going to get injured again. I went from feeling like, gosh, I may never be able to really play well again to there's nothing stopping me now."
Few things have stopped him since the start of the 2010 season.
He has a PGA Tour-leading 47 top-10s since then, including five of his six career Tour titles, which counts this year's RBC Heritage when he holed a bunker shot for birdie on the 72nd hole for the victory.
Heading into the playoffs he's No. 4 in the standings and well in position to claim the $10 million bonus the winner of the postseason is rewarded.
And while his back is feeling well, his vibes at Ridgewood are just as healthy.
In 2010 here he beat Martin Laird on the first playoff hole when his 7-iron approach caught enough of the slope in the back of the green to make a left turn and wind up 30 inches from the hole.
"This is a place I've got fantastic memories from and a place that I knew when I played it the first time, it fit my eye and fit my game," Kuchar said. "I knew this was going to be a good track for me in 2010, and I had a great result and I'm really excited to be back.
" … It's old‑style golf, and I think it's classic. Every hole is framed, whether it's by rough or trees or bunkers. I don't know if I can pinpoint it exactly other than I step up on a hole and I know exactly what I'm supposed to do when I tee off here. It just really gives you a good idea of what you're supposed to do and I feel like I drive the ball, it's one of my strengths is putting the ball in the fairway and I think here that's a premium."