He probably carries it 50 yards past me (off the tee). His best finish was tied 17th at the Masters following an enforced hiatus to resolve the chipping issues that crippled his opening events of the season. But he will be looking over his shoulder at a strong field closing in behind.
Advertisement
The man has major problems.
He posted his worst round as a professional, an 85 at the Memorial tournament in June, and he has since missed the cut at both the U.S. Open and British Open – the first time in his career he has done so at consecutive major championships. As does Jones who faded badly on the back nine. He’ll need to win if he wants to extend his season. And the chances of hitting that the right way are so slim, you could easily catch that thin and then you’re left with a very likely double bogey.
During the post-round interview, Woods sounded like someone who knows he needs to play more golf to get his game in shape.
This is the new world of Woods at the majors. Throw out some of the past champions and the 20 club pros at the PGA Championship, and his ranking is the worst of all but two players at Whistling Straits – Nick Taylor and Darren Clarke.
Whereas recent history used to be so much in Woods’s favour, now it points towards his difficulties at every turn. Two more birdies on 13 and 14 followed. And to have the control that I need to have going forward, it’s starting to come back, which is nice. “The putter was rolling today which was great”. I don’t have the energy to go through it all again. “I just think that it’s easy for some people to get there quicker than others”. “But I’m trying to be patient, and rounds like these help because I see how close I am to finally being at my best”.
Keeping cool with the in-form Spieth breathing down your neck is easier said than done, however. And came back at Augusta and had my short game back.
“Tomorrow looks like it will be tougher conditions”, Spieth said. But now I’ve got to focus on round four.
Jaime Diaz, the editor of Golf Digest and a longtime Woods biographer, believes we shouldn’t see anything of him for a few months, as if Diaz or anybody else can be an influence. If things don’t change drastically over the last five holes here, Woods would have to finish at least second alone next week in the regular-season finale in Greensboro, North Carolina, to reach the top 125.
“It’s frustrating to miss any cuts because any time you miss a cut, you don’t have a chance to win the event”, said Woods, who has slumped to 278th in the world.
Justin Rose went one step further than Rory McIlroy in a bid to keep his challenge for a second major title alive in the US PGA Championship on Saturday.
In the second round, Woods hit just four of 11 fairways but then needed 33 putts. “Now if I can start putting like I did today or what I did at Quicken Loans a couple of weeks ago, then we got something”. “I can play a little bit, too, that’s what I learned about myself”.
Day made a birdie on the par-5 16th hole to get to 10 under par.
Phil Mickelson has never depended on the kindness of Team USA captains and he does not intend to start now.
Advertisement
He has not won a tournament in two years, and he has only one top 10 on the PGA Tour since. He did it with style, too – his home run was a grand slam. So for me, I still consider it a year.
