AUGUSTA - It has been a record-setting week for Tiger Woods. But Saturday’s third round – which contained numerous other firsts -- isn’t one in which the five-time Masters champion can take any pleasure.
Less than 24 hours after setting a Masters record for making the cut for the 24th straight time, Woods looked anything like a 15-time major champion. He more resembled a 48-year-old man with two teenage children and a 20-year history of assorted back, knee, leg, ankle and foot problems.
Woods shot an 82 in the third round – the highest score he’s posted in 99 rounds. It was four strokes more than his previous high score of 78 he signed for twice in 2022.
The 42 on the front was the worst of his career by two shots.
The 40 on the back nine matched his career worst from 2022.
It was a crash landing for the man who entered the week with a 71.1 shot average around Augusta National. Over the last three years he has broken par just once and now has a stroke average of 75.
“The fact that I was not hitting it very good or putting well,” was the biggest challenge, Woods said. “I didn’t have a very good warmup session and I kept it going all day today. Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn’t hit it.”
Like at No. 7, where his tee shot went right and left him behind a tree, with no path to the green. That led to a double bogey – the first of his career on that hole.
Or at No. 8, where he yanked his tee shot to left and had to pitch out into the fairway. That led to a double bogey – again his first there – on a hole that ranked as the easiest in Saturday’s round. It was the only double bogey recorded there through three rounds.
He hit only 5 of 14 fairways and just eight greens in regulation.
“And I missed a lot of putts,” he said. “Easy, makable putts. I missed a lot of them.”
He needed 1.89 putts per hole, after averaging 1.61 in the first round and 1.50 the second round.
The lack of competition coming into the tournament was apparent. Woods had played only 24 holes at the PGA Tour’s Genesis Classic before withdrawing because of the flu.
“I wouldn’t say necessarily mental reps, it’s just that I haven’t competed and played much,” Woods said. “When I had chances to get it flipped around and when I made that putt at No. 5, I promptly three-putted No. 6 and flubbed a chip at No. 7 and just got it going the wrong way. When I had opportunities to flip it, I didn’t.”
He was also less than 100% physically after being forced to play 23 holes on Friday because of Thursday’s rain-delayed start. Woods took several swings Saturday that looked painful and more than once seemed to turn loose of his club after impact.
Wood said he will return to complete the tournament – even if he will be in one of the early groups going off on Sunday.
“My team will get me ready,” he said. “It will be a long night and a long warmup session, but we’ll be ready.”
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