It was his putter.
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Woods, healthy again after a spinal fusion more than a year ago, is playing his seventh tournament of the year. The greens aren’t quite as fast as when I remember playing here, but they are more hard. “I just didn’t make anything today”.
Back playing at the U.S. Masters for the first time in three years, Monday had a bit of a homecoming feel to it as a relaxed Woods hit the driving range and the putting green to the delight of a massive gallery.
“I am excited to put my first set of TaylorMade proto irons in play this week”.
For a number of years, we endured one comeback attempt after another, a series of missed cuts, withdrawals and uncomfortable descriptions of body parts, from misfiring glutes to spasms caused by release trajectories.
But he’s tied for 34th after the first round, and even with poor putting, his ball striking will keep him in the hunt.
Woods put a new set of irons in his bag for Quail Hollow, and in some respects, the course feels new. But he hit a poor wedge that led to bogey on the par-5 10th, atoned for that with a birdie on the par-5 15th, only to give back that shot with a three-putt bogey from 15 feet on No. 16.
Woods has two top-five finishes this year, and he remains in search of his first PGA Tour win since taking five tournaments in 2013. His birdie try at 12 was comically wide, and he missed a 4-footer at the par-4 14 to settle for par.
After a frustrating three-putt at the par-3 fourth left Woods at 1-over for the tournament, Woods converted a birdie chance at his first par-5 of the day. He tees off in the second round at 7:40 a.m. on Friday. The only “name” on the front page of the leaderboard is two-time champion Rory McIlroy at three under.
Brian Harman, last year’s victor at Eagle Point Golf Club, could only manage a one-over 72.
“Seriously”, Woods said. “Most of the golf courses I’ve played have been really hard setups”.
“Ballstriking-wise I’m fine, I’m right there, ” Woods said. But do we really believe, deep down, that Woods is going to win again on the PGA Tour? But he’s continued to struggle from the tee – something he hopes he’s rectified as he approaches a Quail Hollow course that’s longer and more challenging than it was when he last played it in 2012. But officials are keenly aware of the Tiger Effect.
Woods struggled with his irons on the way to finishing tied for 32nd.
The company’s Milled Grind line of wedges now leads its product options in that category, but it is clearly a very different overall look and profile than the Nike Golf VR Pro forged wedges that Tiger is now employing.
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On paper, Thursday’s even-par 71 looks right in line with everything he’s done through six previous starts this season. He was in awe of the green jacket, which he wore during a media tour in NY, to a Houston Astros game and even to fast-food restaurant.
