FEELS LIKE I’M OUT OF THE WOODS

TIGER WOODS recorded his best finish in a full-field PGA Tour event since August 2015 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

The former world number one had only completed four competitive rounds in the invitational Hero World Challenge - an event with no cut - since undergoing back surgery three times.

The 14-time major winner carded four birdies and four bogeys in a closing 72 for a three under par total at Torrey Pines, leaving him inside the top 30 - his best finish since tying for 10th at the Wyndham Championship three years ago.

Starting on the back nine, Woods was denied a first birdie of the day on the 13th when a spectator yelled during his backswing, visibly distracting the American who missed the subsequent putt.

However, Woods converted from 12 feet at the next and added further gains at the 16th and 18th - although wayward drives on the 15th and 17th led to dropped shots.

Woods hit fewer than a third of fairways over the week and after briefly reaching five under for the week with a birdie on the second, leaked tee shots to the right on the fifth and seventh saw him bogey both holes.

Afterwards Woods (above) said: “I played a lot better today. It was tough conditions out there, it was tough scoring. I wanted to shoot something around 65; I thought that might be a play-off number.”

Asked to grade his week’s work, Woods added: “Very pleased. I fought hard.”