Tiger Woods has returned from injury, personal problems, and swing changes that kept him out of the winners circle from 2009 to earlier this year. One nagging problem continues to bother him, however, he has carded some very un-Tiger-like scores this year in the third and fourth rounds of big events.
During the U.S. Open at Olympic Club in June he played brilliantly over the first 36 holes and was in the lead heading into the weekend. He posted 75-73 for the final two rounds and dropped to T-21.
It happened again in the Open Championship at Royal Lytham. He stuck to a very conservative game plan hitting irons and fairway woods off many of the tees to keep his ball in play and avoid the difficult fairway bunkers that litter the golf course.
In the end it was a green-side bunker that proved to be fatal when he failed to get out of a very awkward lie at No. 6 during Sunday’s final round. A triple-bogey seven ended his hopes of winning major title number 15. He eventually shot 73 on Sunday and finished T-3.
Tiger played consistent golf through the first 36 holes and posted 69-71 at the PGA Championship on Kiawah Island. Saturday’s round proved to be his undoing, however, shooting an untidy 74. He followed that with a 72 on Sunday and finished T-11.
His latest collapse at Bethpage Black yesterday may be his most confusing. Woods was in the mix after 36 holes but on Saturday he had four 3-putt greens and failed to make a move on the leaders.
His 68-69 for the first two rounds at Bethpage was solid but his total collapse on the back nine on Sunday was very unusual.
Tiger made double-bogey at No. 13 and followed that with bogeys at 14, 15, and 17. He carded a five-over par 40 on the back nine for a total of 76 and fell into a tie for 38th place.
Four 3-putt greens on Saturday and a 40 for nine holes on Sunday, What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is Goin’ On Here?
Tiger cannot seem to get all the facets of his game working in sync especially on the weekends when it counts the most. This trend has to be a concern for him. He has shown flashes of the old Tiger with his three wins this year although his record in the majors has not been acceptable to him.
He certainly wants to win the FedEx Cup to salvage something from the year.