Tiger Woods heads to this week’s Players Championship with an unwanted first in more than four years.
Woods failed to record a solitary birdie in Wells Fargo Championship closing round of a three-over par 74 for a two-over tally that included 31 putts on the Quail Hollow course in suburban Charlotte.
Not since the 2014 WGC – Cadillac Championship at Doral in Florida has the former long-time World No. 1 played a PGA Tour event without a birdie.
Tiger Woods goes birdie less for a first time in more than 4 years on day four 2018 Wells Fargo. (Pic – Gettys)
And it was just the sixth time Woods has failed to grab a birdie in a ‘regular’ Tour event and also only the second time he’s been without a birdie over the final day on Tour.
Woods had snatched six birdies during Saturday’s 68 but the birdies failed to materialise on day four in suburban Charlotte.
His putting blues began from the very first hole on day four with Woods missing a six-footer for par while Woods then three-putted for bogey at the third hole.,
Woods also three-putted from 17-feet for his third bogey at the par-5 15th.
There was strong spectator hopes for Woods to finally grab a birdie at the uphill 18th but with Jupitar star missing the target and walk with a par.
And while Woods has his concerns on the greens he managed to hit just four of 14 fairways also over the last round that saw him end his round in a distant share of 55th place
“I just didn’t putt well again,” said Woods.
“So, I think I obviously need to do some practice with my putter, work on it just a little bit,” he said. “But I know those greens, I know the putts, but you have to hit the ball well there at the TPC, you can’t get away with hitting it poorly.
“I’ll still be grinding, working on my swing and making sure that’s solid and driving the ball correctly, because that golf course does demand everything.
“I felt like I drove it pretty decent today. I made nothing. The chances I had, I missed them all. It was just a bad week. The good news is you wipe your hands clean and go on to the next one.”
Woods will tee-up Thursday at TPC Sawgrass with long-time arch rival Phil Mickelson as his first two rounds playing partner and with the pair being joined by Rickie Fowler.
All three are former winners at TPC Sawgrass.
