Tiger Woods has missed the lower at The Open Championship.
The 15-time main winner shot a 6-over 77 on Friday, sooner or later after posting an 8-over 79 at Royal Troon. Solely a handful of others—together with Wyndham Clark—scored worse than his 14-over whole.
Woods seemed match, leaner, and walked higher than he did this week versus earlier this yr at Augusta Nationwide, the place he made the lower and completed in solo sixtieth.
But his recreation was not sharp this time round. Woods missed loads of iron pictures, struggled across the greens, and couldn’t discover a constant stroke together with his putter.
That’s what occurs while you solely compete in main championships, essentially the most tough tournaments of all of them. Gamers have to be at their greatest for these 4 occasions annually, however each participant takes a unique method to arrange. Some play in a event the week earlier than, like Rory McIlroy, whereas others, reminiscent of Scottie Scheffler, take time away to apply their video games. Others will go to the host venue nicely prematurely to higher perceive the course, which is what Shane Lowry did this yr. However what each participant does—no matter their tour affiliation—is play competitively within the months earlier than majors.
Woods clearly is aware of how one can put together for majors. His strategies and approaches have helped him win 15 of them. However his numerous illnesses haven’t allowed him to compete as a lot as he would have wished, which maybe explains why he didn’t make the lower at Valhalla, Pinehurst No. 2, and now, Royal Troon. The truth that he turns 49 years outdated in December doesn’t assist, both.
At the very least Woods feels higher this yr, or so he says.
“I’m bodily feeling so much higher than I did at the start of the yr. On the finish of final yr, it was robust, and I haven’t performed a complete lot,” Woods mentioned Thursday.
“I believe that, because the yr has gone on, I’ve gotten higher. I want I might have performed somewhat bit extra, however I’ve been saving it for the majors simply in case I do one thing fairly main [injury-wise] after which take myself out of it. Hopefully, subsequent yr might be somewhat bit higher than this yr.”
The important thing for Woods might be for him to play extra earlier than majors in 2025, maybe on the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February and The Gamers Championship in March. However solely time will inform if he can accomplish that.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
