New lows but Tiger in denial
Fallen Woods believes he is in the right frame of mind to compete for titles
AREMARKABLY upbeat Tiger Woods predicted a return to winning ways this year, which was quite something after rounding off his week at the Players Championship with a triple whammy of career lows.
A day after recording two double-bogeys on par fives in the same round for the first time in 18 years as a pro, the 39-yearold racked up his firstever triple-bogey. It came at the parfour 14th on his 1 058th hole at the Players.
It was his fifth double-bogey or worse during the tournament, this equalling another career worst on the PGA Tour. He signed for a 72 for tied 69th place – his worst finish in 16 appearances in the Tour’s flagship event.
What, then, could possibly have justified the following verdict: “I played some really good stuff out there and it’s going to pay dividends in the end. Can I see myself contending and winning some time this year? Absolutely.” One reason for the optimism was that he finished a gruelling 72 holes feeling strong and healthy. Allied with his top20 showing at the Masters, it was the first time in 18 months that he had completed 72 holes in consecutive tournaments.
“Physically I feel good and it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to say that,” he said. “For a long time I couldn’t practise after a round because my back was so bad but I’m able to do that now, which is huge when you’re trying to bed down some swing changes.
“I’m making progress. I felt a lot more comfortable over the ball here than I did at Augusta.”
Woods managed 18 birdies during the week and when you think that third-round leader Chris Kirk had achieved his position on the back of 14 birdies over 54 holes, it demonstrated that there is nothing wrong with Tiger’s good golf. “Three sevens during the week is obviously not good but I do think the mistakes will get cleaned up over time,” he insisted. “This is one of those courses that exposes any weaknesses. You can be going along fine and then all of a sudden you make a double and it’s like, what’s just happened?”
This weekend Woods will be overseeing his annual music festival known as the Tiger Jam — Ed Sheeran is the star turn — before turning his attention to next month’s US Open, which is being staged on a new course known as Chambers Bay near Seattle. “I’ll definitely get out there ahead of time to have a look at it,” he said. “From what I hear, it’s a course you need to take a look at a few times before the week.”
Meanwhile, American Rickie Fowler (pictured) produced a stunning finish to claim the lucrative Players Championship.
The 26-year-old outlasted 2008 champion Sergio Garcia and world number 123 Kevin Kisner in extra holes after finishing his final six holes of regulation in six-under-par.
In a week where he was labelled “overrated” in an anonymous player poll, Fowler clinched victory on the famous 17th island green with his third birdie on the hole in the day, taking home $1.8-million.
Fowler faced a nervous wait after finishing eagle, birdie, birdie across the daunting last three holes in regulation to shoot a five-under 67 and post 12under for the tournament.
Both Garcia (68) and Kisner (69) had putts on the 18th green that would ultimately have given them the tournament but the Spaniard’s 19-foot effort missed and Kisner’s 10-foot attempt hung agonisingly on the lip.
The trio then headed to a three-hole aggregate play-off over holes 16-18 where Fowler and Kisner managed to birdie the 17th to stay alive as Garcia managed only three pars.
When they returned to 17 in sudden death, Kisner missed a 12-foot birdie attempt to leave the door open for Fowler to drain a four-footer and win his second U.S PGA tour title. –