Woods is getting into swing again
Confident he’s back on the comeback trail
TIGER Woods, trying to recapture the form that won 14 major titles, says he made “big strides” in reviving his game at the PGA Quicken Loans National despite a failed Sunday charge.
Tournament host Woods birdied five of the first 10 holes, including a 42ft birdie putt at the par-three ninth, but then made bogeys on three of the next four holes.
The 39-year-old American sank an 8ft birdie putt at 17 but settled for a three-under-par 68 final round to finish on eight-under 276 – his lowest 72-hole score in relation to par at a PGA event since the 2013 BMW Championship.
“I started off well and really hit the ball well and looking at the whole week in general, felt like I made some big strides,” said Woods. “My short game is starting to come back ... Everything is kind of trending in the correct direction now.”
Woods has slumped to 266th in world rankings and fired some of his worst career rounds this season after injuries and swing changes.
He missed the cut at the US and British Opens. “This is much better, much, much, much better to have a round like today,” said Woods. “Even though I struggled.” Coming off a third-round 74 that ended his title hopes, Woods said he fixed Saturday swing errors by changes to his set-up and by going back to basics.
Woods ran off three birdies in a row starting with an 11ft putt at the third. That was followed by a 10footer at four and a four-footer at the par-five fifth.
He closed the front nine with a monster putt to draw a roar from the crowd.
“Hit the ball really well,” said Woods. “I didn’t really miss a shot on the front nine. It was a very solid round. It was a mixed bag as far as results but the fact I had total control of the golf ball was nice.”
An 8ft birdie putt to open the back nine put him four off the lead but a 3ft par putt horseshoed the edge of the cup and came back to him to start a bogey stretch at 11. “I was five-under through 10 and really had it going. I took my eye off it. I thought I had made it. Next thing I know it’s coming right back to my feet again,” said Woods.
“That definitely didn’t feel very good. Then the tee shot on 12 was a tough one.” Woods found water and again on his third shot at 14, both on the way to bogeys, and his birdie at 17 was too little and too late.
The former world number one has 79 career PGA Tour titles, three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, but has not won a title since the 2013 World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational and has not won a major since the 2008 US Open.
Woods, who has not qualified for the US PGA season-ending playoffs, will try to move closer to the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus in two weeks at the US PGA Championship. — AFP