Tiger Woods struggles to 8-over 79 at Open Championship

TROON, Scotland — Tiger Woods mentioned he did not do a lot proper whereas posting an 8-over 79 within the first spherical of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Course on Thursday, which left him in peril of lacking the reduce in a 3rd straight main for under the second time in his profession.

Woods, a three-time winner of the Claret Jug, is tied for 138th after the opening spherical, 14 strokes behind chief Daniel Brown.

The golfers with the low 70 scores and ties will make the 36-hole reduce.

“I did not do a complete lot of issues proper in the present day,” Woods mentioned. “I made that putt on the third gap (for birdie), after which I believe I had, what, three three-putts in the present day? I did not hit my irons very shut, and I did not give myself a complete lot of seems in the present day. I must shoot one thing within the mid-60s tomorrow to get one thing occurring the weekend.”

If Woods would not do this, he’ll be in peril of lacking the reduce in a 3rd straight main. He wasn’t round for the weekend on the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky, in Could or on the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina in June.

The one different time he missed the reduce in three consecutive majors was within the U.S. Open, The Open and the PGA Championship in 2015.

Thursday’s spherical was solely the tenth Woods has accomplished in a PGA Tour occasion this season. He has competed in solely 5 official occasions as he continues to rebuild his energy from accidents suffered in a automotive wreck in February 2021.

“I am bodily feeling so much higher than I did initially of the yr,” Woods mentioned. “On the finish of final yr, it was powerful, and I have not performed a complete lot. I believe that, because the yr has gone on, I’ve gotten higher.

“I simply want I might have performed a bit bit extra, however I have been saving it for the majors simply in case I do one thing fairly main after which take myself out of it. Hopefully, subsequent yr can be a bit bit higher than this yr.”

Woods, enjoying in a match at Royal Troon for the primary time since 2004, gave followers one thing to cheer for early with a 36-foot birdie putt on the third gap. He did not make one other birdie putt till he dropped a 7-footer on the par-4 thirteenth.

There have been loads of hiccups in between. After a bogey 6 on the fourth gap, he made a double bogey on the par-3 fifth after knocking his tee shot right into a greenside bunker and having to hit his second shot out sideways.

The 15-time main champion posted bogeys on Nos. 7 and eight after which one other double bogey on the par-4 eleventh. He almost sliced his drive out of bounds close to the railroad tracks down the precise facet. Woods discovered his ball however needed to take an unplayable lie and one-stroke penalty. He wanted two photographs to succeed in the inexperienced and two-putted for six.

Woods, 48, added three extra bogeys and a birdie on the thirteenth the remainder of the way in which.

It was solely the sixth time in Woods’ profession that he posted a spherical of 8 over or worse in a serious championship, in keeping with information from ESPN Stats & Data. He carded a 10-over 82 within the third spherical of the Masters in April.

On the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas in December, Woods had steered he hoped to play one match a month. The Open will in all probability be his final official occasion this yr.

“I believed I might play a bit bit extra earlier within the yr,” Woods mentioned. “I believe I used to be a bit bit too optimistic. I must do much more work within the fitness center and hold progressing like we now have.”