Tiger Woods found himself bitten on the back nine for a second day running at the Hero World Challenge.
Woods posted a two-under-par 70, five fewer shots than day one, for a one-over par tally on the host Albany course in The Bahamas.
He climbed the stairs to the clubhouse then sharing 15th place as four players – Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler – were tied for the lead at seven-under late in their rounds.
At day’s end it was TO BE ADVISED
Woods score of 70 is the first occasion, and only in an eighth round this three-event season, that Woods has signed for an under-par, following a 67 on day three of February’s Genesis Open.
Woods stepped onto the tee wearing a navy blue shirt sporting that looked like it was covered with some kind of vines pattern though it didn’t long for him to find the straight and narrow, landing his approach shot in the first some 10-feet from the pin and rolled-in the birdie putt.
It was the start of this ‘Black Friday’ with Woods lighting-up the course and move from his starting round 18th place, and inside the top-10 thanks to birdies at the second and then back-to-back birdies also at six and seven,
The World No. 1,328th ranked player in the world heading to the inward half looking very much in the zone, despite plenty conversation between he and playing partner, Rickie Fowler. Of course, it was six years ago Woods handed the ‘Tiger’ trophy to Fowler.
A string of pars Woods was having from the eighth to 12th holes was interrupted with a bogey at the 12th, and then for a second day running the par-5 15th jumped up to bite Woods, taking a second bogey of his round.
Woods then played probably the ‘shot of his round’ at the par-3 17th holing a curling 25-footer birdie putt that did a lap of the hole before finding the bottom of the cup, taking Woods back to two-under for his round and one-over for the tournament.
Around and down.@TigerWoods gets the roll on the long birdie putt. pic.twitter.com/q2jPsExwSg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2023
“It was better than yesterday, for sure. I’ve been more committed than I was yesterday. I made a few mistakes and overall the round was better, for sure,” said Woods.
“The start was better, the middle part of the round was better. I missed a couple putts there towards the end I thought would have kept the round going and unfortunately it kind of stalled out a little bit. Certainly better than it was yesterday.
“I’m still have a bit of physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and I just haven’t done it. I haven’t played in six months. Things are not as sharp as they normally would be. Hey, it certainly — there’s some good in there and just got to make sure that the good is more consistent than it has been”.
In saying that, the fact that Woods is back competing is amazing in itself. As well, he’s chosen the Hero World Challenge not only as it’s just 20-players but there is once again a restricted attendence, so much so, that there’s often just a handful of spectators following many of the other groups.
The focus, and to be expected, is all on Woods and what we’ve seen over 36 is certainly encouraging with a capital E.
“Well, I think being able to compete and play again”, he said when asked that ‘e’ word.
“I haven’t done it. And I know that, I was telling you guys, my ankle doesn’t hurt, which it doesn’t. Other things are
bugging me and bothering me, but the ankle’s fine. That was nice to be able to get out there and walk and not feel the things I felt early in the year while playing and trying to I guess knock that out of the memory banks and create new ones”.
And what has surprised you?
“I think it’s just the way my feels, trying to get my feels back and the mindset over a shot and how many things run through my mind of hitting the shot the right trajectory, the right window, the right shape, the right distance”, said Woods.
“I did a better job on that today and I’m sure I’ll do a better job of that tomorrow. The more rounds and more reps I can
get under my belt competitively, I think those things will start coming back”.
