Woods surges to lead before late fade

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Tiger Woods was in the rough alongside the 11th fairway, the outcome of his first poor shot in Sunday’s final round at the 2018 British Open. Improbably, he was atop the leader board. The tournament was his to lose.

Woods was sizing up his next shot, which would require a risky and mighty swing out of thick rough to a green 184 yards away. It was the kind of shot that a decade ago Woods would execute with an assassin’s aplomb.

But on Sunday, Woods suddenly paused and dropped his eyes to the ball next to his feet. When he returned his glance to the distant green, indecision was written across his face.

In time, Woods swatted at the ball, but it squirted left until it came to rest, 170 yards away, in another patch of gnarly turf. A hesitant, cautious chip followed, but the ball was still not on the green.

Minutes later, Woods’ magical, dizzying chase for a 15th major golf title — and his first in 10 years — sputtered and staggered in the wake of the ugly double Tiger Woods celebrates a birdie putt on the fourth hole. He finished with a 71 and tied for sixth place. bogey on No. 11.

The unsteadiness continued on the next hole.

“‘Oh, not again,” he yelped after another imprecise swing sent his ball dribbling into the high rough. A bogey on 12 doomed the quest for a momentous championship at the Carnoustie Golf Links.

Woods did not turn back the clock, after all. He was 42 years old, not 32, and 10 years is a long time to be off the biggest stage.

He closed with a 71 to tie for sixth, three shots behind.

Woods was not interested in comparing versions of

himself Sunday. His first comment after coming off the 18th green would have been familiar in any era of his career.

“A little ticked off at myself,” he said. “I had a chance starting that back nine to do something, and I didn’t do it.”

Woods vaulted himself into first place with birdies on the fourth and sixth holes, which coincided with a rash of bogeys by the golfers who started the day ahead of him.

“It was a blast,” he said with a wide grin. Feel like old times? “It did, it did,” Woods answered. “It didn’t feel any different.”

Eddie Pepperell shot the low round on the final day and held the clubhouse lead until fellow Englishman Justin Rose swiped it.

Not one to look back, Pepperell said he didn’t waste time wondering what might have been.

“I was a little hung over. I won’t lie. I had too much to drink last night,” he said after shooting 67 and finishing in a three-way tie for sixth. “I was so frustrated yesterday (after shooting 71) that today was really, I wouldn’t say a write-off, but I didn’t feel I was in the golf tournament.

“Whether I shot 69 or 73 today, it wouldn’t have been heartbreaking. But as it happens, I shot 67. So you know,” he added, “It’s a funny game.”