Tiger: Go low or go home
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Ready yourself to watch Tiger Woods walk over the famed Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole of the Old Course at St. Andrews for the final time as a legitimate competitor on Friday.
That’s because only a miracle second round can save Woods from missing the cut after he shot a 6-over 78 in the opening round Thursday.
Woods’ day began poorly when his tee shot on the first hole came to rest in a divot. He hit his second shot into the watery burn in front of the green and took double-bogey out of the box.
His day ended poorly, too, as he hit his 3-wood tee shot to the front of the par-4 18th green and three-putted for a disheartening par.
“Well, probably highest score as I could have shot,’’ said Woods, who will tee off Friday at 4:58 a.m. EDT. “Didn’t get off to a great start. Hit a good tee shot down 1, ended up right in the middle of a fresh divot. And I hit a good shot. Wind gusts hit it and ended up in the burn.
“I think I had maybe four or five three-putts [and] just wasn’t very good on the greens. Every putt I left short. I struggled with hitting the putts hard enough. They looked faster than what they were putting, and I struggled with it.’’
Woods was 4-over through four holes and 6-over through six. He fought back with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 but simply could never recover from the poor start.
Asked what was most disappointing about the round, Woods said, “Just the total score. It feels like I didn’t really hit it that bad. Yes, I did have bad speed on the greens, yes. But I didn’t really feel like I hit it that bad, but I ended up in bad spots or just had some weird things happen.’’
He’d been targeting this tournament since he knew he’d be able to play again after his one-car crash in February 2021 that nearly cost him is right leg. He called simply being at St Andrews “very, very meaningful.’’
“All things considered, where I’ve been, I was hoping I could play this event this year,’’ Woods said. “Looking at it at the beginning of the year, end of last year when I was rehabbing, trying to see if I could do it, but somehow I was able to play two of the major championships in between then and now, which was great.
“But this was always on the calendar to hopefully be well enough to play it. And I am. And just didn’t do a very good job of it. Looks like I’m going to have to shoot 66 tomorrow to have a chance. Obviously, it has been done. Guys did it today. And that’s my responsibility tomorrow is to go ahead and do it. Need to do it.’’