AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods hit just a single “good” iron shot all day – his tee shot at No. 4 that ended up on the fifth tee box – and posted his worst round at the Masters since 2012.
The only silver lining was that he will get two more rounds at Augusta National to try and turn things around.
Not exactly what the sports world was anticipating when the four-time Masters champion returned to Augusta National for the first time since 2015 following back-to-back top-10 finishes in his tune-up for the year’s first major.
But if Woods’ second-round 75 was a surprise to the fans who lined Augusta National’s fairways five and six rows deep, it oddly wasn’t for Woods.
“I hit my irons awful today. I didn’t control my distance, my shape, spins,” he said. “I left myself in bad spots.”
Woods bogeyed the first hole after missing the green from just 93 yards and made double bogey at the fifth hole after a wayward drive and another approach that was well off the mark.
For the day, Woods hit just 10 of 18 greens in regulation and ranked 65th in the field of 87 in proximity to the hole (49 feet). As a result, he’ll begin the weekend tied for 40th and 13 strokes out of the lead.
Woods explained he wasn’t entirely comfortable with his iron play in his warm up and it quickly manifested itself from the first hole.
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“I’m right in between 56- or 60- [degree wedge]. And thinking, OK, if I draw the 60 I should hold it on the hill. If hit 56 I’m playing more towards the center because I’m cutting and spinning off the slope,” he said. “I hit a little 60. Next thing I’m in the gallery. That wasn’t exactly a great start.”
Like his opening-round 73, Woods battled back with birdies at Nos. 13 and 15, but he also added two more bogeys, including a sloppy miss when he stuck his tee shot “in the ground” and found the water hazard at the par-3 12th hole.
Whatever the issue with his iron play, Woods said he knew how to adjust, but he will need to do it quickly if he’s going to have any chance on the weekend.
“Even though I’m a lot behind, if I play a special weekend, shoot two rounds in the mid 60s, you never know,” he said. “If I get off to a quick start and get it rolling, get some momentum going, which I haven’t had so far.”
Woods also urged patience and perspective, like he has done throughout this most recent comeback following fusion surgery on his lower back a year ago. This is, after all, the first time he’s played the weekend at a major since the ’15 Masters, and he took solace in the other parts of his game, particularly his putting and short game.
“Six months ago I didn’t know if I’d be playing golf. Forget playing at the Tour level, I didn’t know if I ever would be playing again,” he said. “But it’s incredible to have the opportunity again, to still come out here and play this golf course. Now I know I’m in the weekend.”
But he also knows he has plenty of work to do, if not for this week, then to build momentum for the remainder of the major championship season.
Source: Internet
