Tiger goes to work on putter
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – With two tranquil 9-hole practice rounds that stretched into the evening, first with Jordan Spieth on Sunday, then with Steve Stricker on Monday, Tiger Woods eased his way into the 118th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Another trek Tuesday morning on the front nine, this time with world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, the winners of the past two PGA Tour titles, was another undisturbed work session for Woods as he prepares to play in the U.S. Open for the first time since missing the cut in 2015.
“I’ve missed playing the U.S. Open. It’s our nation’s title,” said Woods, who has won said titles in 2000, 2002 and 2008. “This will be another fun test.”
All has been quiet on the Woods front except for the din Privacy has generated. That’s the name of his multimilliondollar, 155-foot yacht that is docked nearby and been at the forefront of many reports. The anchored home provides comfort and convenience for Woods and basically eliminates his concern to beat the traffic that has clogged the roadways and heightened tensions among his boat-less peers who have struggled to get to the course.
“Staying on the dinghy helps,” Woods said Tuesday with a big smile.
Woods has nicely settled into his surroundings for the week and quickly reacquainted himself with Shinnecock, where he withdrew with a wrist injury as an amateur in the 1995 U.S. Open and finished in a tie for 17th in the 2004 U.S. Open.
“It’s a lot longer,” Woods said. “The fairways seem to be about twice as wide. It’s a very different test, very different look. And as the golf course dries out, this golf course is going to be another great U.S. Open test.”
It will be a brutal test for Woods if he can’t get his putter working.
Early in the year the driver was giving him fits. Then his short irons failed him. Then his putter went AWOL.
“There’s always something,” said Woods.
Nothing much happened on the greens for Woods in his last start, a tie for 23rd in the Memorial . He was tied for the lead late in the third round before the shortest club in the bag caused the largest problems. While he was statistically the best player from tee to green, he missed seven putts inside 5 feet, the most he’s missed in an event since the ShotLink era began in 2004. He had five three-putts and 118 putts.
“I worked on it pretty hard this past week,” he said. “Just had to hit a lot of putts, just put in the legwork. My stroke feels good, and we’re back on old bumpy Poa (greens). So hopefully hit good solid putts and see what happens.”
He was on Poa greens the last time he won a major, the epic triumph in the 2008 U.S. Open. This week’s U.S. Open will be the 40th major since Woods won his last. He has played in 25, with nine top-10s, but missed 14 due to injury.