OUT OF WOODS
Shoots 69, but trails by 12
AUGUSTA — If this were only some other Masters, if it were a more conventional year, then Tiger Woods’ reshaped game would have to be taken more seriously here this weekend at Augusta National. Woods improved notably again Friday with a 3-under 69, giving him a two-round score of 140 at 2-under.
There were undeniable throwback moments of mastery and near genius. Tiger was brave enough to swing full throttle on his drives and was solid enough around the greens. He adlibbed under branches and off the pine straw when required. He buried some lengthy putts. Woods easily made the cut, a feat that was not guaranteed after his layoff and recent travails. He hadn’t shot a round in the 60s here since 2011.
“Very proud of what I’ve done, to be able to dig it out the way I have,” Woods said, when he was done. “I was at a pretty low point in my career, but to basically change an entire pattern like that and put it together and put it in a position where I can compete in a major championship like this is something I’m very proud of.”
But Woods didn’t have the luxury of merely competing on Friday, with the rocket ship soaring above him on the leaderboard. Jordan Spieth bounded too far ahead at 14-under, five strokes ahead of the field and a dozen strokes ahead of Tiger. Every time Woods birdied a hole, it seemed, Spieth would answer up ahead on the course with two of his own.
“I was watching, of course,” Woods said, about the leader board. “I think you had to pay attention to it because, one, it’s indicative of what the golf course is giving up.” Woods pointed out that even back in 1997, when he dominated the Masters, he didn’t have the same separation from the field now enjoyed by Spieth. Still, for those seeking cause to believe in the future Tiger, there was ample reason for hope during the second round. Tiger birdied the first hole, slamming an 8-iron close enough to the pin; this, on the same hole he bogeyed on Thursday. He picked up some momentum with three birdies over five holes, including a clutch 15-foot putt at No. 11.
From then on, Woods did a lot of scrambling to rescue pars. He walked up the fairway to the 18th green and received a standing ovation. There, he faced one last 15-foot putt for a possible birdie, but slid it right and long.
Woods was clearly pleased, relieved. His tip of the hat to the gallery was not conciliatory. He gets to play two more rounds at this tournament, and it wouldn’t take much for Tiger to finish in the top six again, where he’s landed so many times since his last green jacket a decade ago.
First place, though, is somewhat out of the question — although Woods would not admit that, because it would break the Tiger code.
“I’m still right there,” he insisted. “I’m 12 back, but there’s not a lot of guys ahead of me. And with 36 holes here to go, anything can happen, you know. We have a long way to go. We don’t know what the conditions are going to be tomorrow, what the committee is going to do.” To make matters just a bit more uncomfortable, Woods will be paired Saturday with Sergio Garcia, who commented two years ago about his tense relationship with Tiger, “We will have him ’round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”
Garcia, however did tweet late Friday: “It was gonna happen at some point sooner or later! Paired with @TigerWoods tomorrow but don’t you worry guys, I’m sure we’ll both be fine.”