Woods struggles in Bahamas
Tiger shoots 73, trails Cantlay and Reed
NASSAU, Bahamas – It’s hard to be angry and disenchanted on this island paradise, what with the soft breezes, soothing temperatures and gentle waves combining to paint an uninterrupted picture of bliss.
But there was Tiger Woods, still recovering from a week-long illness that has zapped some of his energy, far from a portrait of enjoyment Thursday at the end of the first round of the Hero World Challenge.
The host of the event, which benefits his foundation, was listless in the beginning of the round and then seething after a triple-bogey 6 on the par-3 12th that was the biggest blemish on a scorecard that read 1-over-par 73.
With conditions ripe for scoring, Woods managed to make just four birdies and finished in a tie for 16th in the field of 18, eight shots out of the lead set by two Patricks — Cantlay and Reed.
“I didn’t quite feel comfortable with my game today even though I drove it great,” Woods said. “It was definitely reflective in my scoring today. I didn’t quite feel comfortable and just didn’t quite hit the ball close enough or give myself a lot of looks at it.”
Last year, Woods returned to the game here at Albany Golf Club after spinal fusion surgery. To intense fanfare, he thrilled the golf world with a tie for ninth. Ranked 1,199th at the time, he rose to No. 13, his remarkable year highlighted by a win in the Tour Championship, his 80th and first since 2013.
The buzz this year has been a bit muted, and Woods did little to give it a charge. Instead, the first hole was indicative of the round. After busting a perfect drive that split the fairway, his punch shot with a wedge in his hands came up 50 feet short. After bogeys at the first two par-3s at the second and fifth holes, Woods rebounded for birdies on the sixth and seventh holes but then couldn’t take advantage of superb tee shots the next four holes.
Then came the par-3 12th. Woods pulled his tee shot and it wound up in a miserable lie on the side of a hill. He stubbed the chip shot and then watched the ball roll back into the pond guarding the green. A drop, a chip and two putts later, he signed for a 6.
“(The lie) was grainy,” Woods said. “I had a little patch right behind the golf ball and I tried to toe it in there, trying to make sure I actually hit it long. I was trying to play for like a 10-, 12-footer coming back, and it just didn’t come out and it blew back in the hazard.”
While it was one of those days for Woods, it wasn’t a complete waste. He did finish with a birdie, and he did drive the ball long and straight, missing just one fairway in regulation. And the illness is on its last legs.
“I’m feeling a lot better today, for sure,” he said. “It’s been a long week or so. At least this tournament has started, and we’ve got it underway. Now I’m back into the rhythm of playing again, which is nice.
“I’ve just been under the weather, run down, and I’m tired and I’ve been trying to catch up with it. I’m not coughing anymore, which is nice.”
What also would be nice is improved play. “I would like to hit the ball a little bit closer than I did today,” Woods said. “I just didn’t take advantage of these benign conditions.”