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| Tiger Woods fails on promise to get himself back into Open running | Tiger Woods fails on promise to get himself back into Open running |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| It has been a week of novelty for Tiger Woods on his return to the Royal Liverpool links for his first rounds of major golf since last August and only his second tournament since disc surgery in late March. The theme continued for him today when he found himself being called to the tee for his third round out at the 10th hole and by the auxiliary starter, Mike Stewart. | |
| A worrying weather forecast had decreed it so and the 2006 champion at Royal Liverpool, who made the cut on the two-over limit only by virtue of a birdie at the 18th on Friday, was simultaneously teeing off on the other side of the course to the overnight leader, Rory McIlroy, who was being introduced on the 1st by the regular starter, Ivor Robson. | A worrying weather forecast had decreed it so and the 2006 champion at Royal Liverpool, who made the cut on the two-over limit only by virtue of a birdie at the 18th on Friday, was simultaneously teeing off on the other side of the course to the overnight leader, Rory McIlroy, who was being introduced on the 1st by the regular starter, Ivor Robson. |
| A week that began for Woods with a practice round on Sunday and a workout in the weights room of the local fire station had also featured shocking starts that cost him five shots to par on the 1st and 2nd. Things were about to get even more unusual today as he opened up with a pair of birdies on the back nine to immediately get back to level par. | A week that began for Woods with a practice round on Sunday and a workout in the weights room of the local fire station had also featured shocking starts that cost him five shots to par on the 1st and 2nd. Things were about to get even more unusual today as he opened up with a pair of birdies on the back nine to immediately get back to level par. |
| Playing with the American tyro Jordan Spieth (67, for three-under) and Rhein Gibson (74 and four-over) of Australia, Woods also managed to set up birdie chances at the next two holes although he missed the putts. Driven on by a respectful rather than excited gallery, he had started to look like making good on his unlikely overnight pledge to haul himself back into the championship. | Playing with the American tyro Jordan Spieth (67, for three-under) and Rhein Gibson (74 and four-over) of Australia, Woods also managed to set up birdie chances at the next two holes although he missed the putts. Driven on by a respectful rather than excited gallery, he had started to look like making good on his unlikely overnight pledge to haul himself back into the championship. |
| “It gives me a chance,” he said after yesterday’s round and when 14 shots behind the overnight lead. “I’m pretty far back but luckily I’ve got two rounds to go. And hopefully I can do something like Paul [Lawrie] did in ’99. He made up, I think, 10 in one day.” The Scot went on to win the Open at Carnoustie in a play-off. | |
| The problem with doing that is that Woods would be forced to chase a score and that was what sunk his prospects in the second round, when instead of building on his three-under opening round he reached for the driver, failed to control it and shot himself out of contention with a five-over 77. | The problem with doing that is that Woods would be forced to chase a score and that was what sunk his prospects in the second round, when instead of building on his three-under opening round he reached for the driver, failed to control it and shot himself out of contention with a five-over 77. |
| Woods had arrived with little expectation other than the colossal one that he puts on himself. Though the galleries had thronged around his three-ball on Thursday, many were curious, others were concerned, that he has returned from injury too soon and some were just glad to get within 10 yards to see their champion, after struggling to do so in the huge crowds during his glorious four days of 2006. | Woods had arrived with little expectation other than the colossal one that he puts on himself. Though the galleries had thronged around his three-ball on Thursday, many were curious, others were concerned, that he has returned from injury too soon and some were just glad to get within 10 yards to see their champion, after struggling to do so in the huge crowds during his glorious four days of 2006. |
| On Saturday he walked off the 18th green where he had received the Claret Jug eight years ago with his score a two-under 35 for level par, but instead of heading to the recorders’ hut he turned left to take on the 1st (his 10th), pulled out the driver and promptly birdied the hole that had cost him three shots this week. Perhaps there is something about this reverse setup after all? | On Saturday he walked off the 18th green where he had received the Claret Jug eight years ago with his score a two-under 35 for level par, but instead of heading to the recorders’ hut he turned left to take on the 1st (his 10th), pulled out the driver and promptly birdied the hole that had cost him three shots this week. Perhaps there is something about this reverse setup after all? |
| It took him back into the red numbers but it was the 2nd that bit him again after finding a fairway bunker and taking a double-bogey six. A lost ball in a gorse bush on the 7th added another triple bogey to the total and, though he managed to pick up another shot at the par-three 9th, it was little consolation as he contemplated the buggy ride back to the clubhouse. | It took him back into the red numbers but it was the 2nd that bit him again after finding a fairway bunker and taking a double-bogey six. A lost ball in a gorse bush on the 7th added another triple bogey to the total and, though he managed to pick up another shot at the par-three 9th, it was little consolation as he contemplated the buggy ride back to the clubhouse. |
| Maybe it was too early for Woods, 38, to contend in a major so soon after surgery and being unable to swing a club for weeks, but the 14-times major winner managed to find some positives. “I’m starting to get the flow of the round, the flow of playing again,” he said. “But still I’ve just made too many mistakes. | Maybe it was too early for Woods, 38, to contend in a major so soon after surgery and being unable to swing a club for weeks, but the 14-times major winner managed to find some positives. “I’m starting to get the flow of the round, the flow of playing again,” he said. “But still I’ve just made too many mistakes. |
| “You can’t run up high scores like that and expect to contend, especially when the conditions are this benign. Most of the scores are three-under par or better. I’ve made two doubles and two triples. But on top of that I missed a lot of shots for opportunities for birdies.” | “You can’t run up high scores like that and expect to contend, especially when the conditions are this benign. Most of the scores are three-under par or better. I’ve made two doubles and two triples. But on top of that I missed a lot of shots for opportunities for birdies.” |
| The year’s final major is the US PGA at Valhalla in Kentucky next month and by then Woods will expect to be fully in the old routine. After six years of waiting for major number 15, that would be a relative novelty too. | The year’s final major is the US PGA at Valhalla in Kentucky next month and by then Woods will expect to be fully in the old routine. After six years of waiting for major number 15, that would be a relative novelty too. |