TULSA | Already a dozen shots behind the leaders after the first round, Tiger Woods is out of contention for the PGA of America Championship.
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An initial card of 74 (+4) relegates him far in the pack to Southern Hills.
A frustrating day for Woods who struggled to keep up with his two youngest blockbuster trio mates, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
“I got a good start, but I didn’t keep up the pace, indicated the one who started with a birdie when starting at 10e mound.
“I did not offer myself enough opportunities for birdies, chained the one who stalled three. I struggled to get the ball on the greens and missed several iron shots in both directions. It was truly a frustrating day. »
Indeed, because the 46-year-old golfer who lifted the Wanamaker Trophy on this course in 2007 said he was in great shape and ready to fight at the top of the table.
Photo AFP
Grimacing, Tiger Woods was not at the top of his form, Thursday on the links of the Southern Hills club.
If his putter didn’t cooperate at the Masters in Augusta a month ago, his irons let him down on Thursday. Woods hit seven of 18 greens in prescribed strokes. Which is certainly not in its standards.
Apart from a few exceptions, he could not approach the pennants. Which forced him to commit seven bogeys.
behind the young
From the mounds, the veteran Tiger has too often found himself about thirty yards behind the Northern Irishman. Although he hit the small ball well with his antlers, he kept an average of 293.4 yards.
For comparison, McIlroy’s missiles averaged a range of 331.6 yards.
“I wouldn’t have been so far behind if I had hit well. I opted for strategies in order to reach my privileged places. But these guys obviously have a very different game plan, Woods explained. “Golf is played differently these days,” he continued. The players are aggressive. »
In ice
As he did at the Masters after his rounds, the athlete who suffered serious injuries to his right leg in a terrible car accident in February 2021 jumped into the ice bath after his day’s work.
“My leg is not as good as I would like it to be. I have difficulty putting weight on my leg. Applied pressure, walking and rotations hurt. But that’s golf, explained the one who has repeatedly grimaced during the last three holes.
“We are starting recovery treatment so we can get back to work tomorrow (Friday). »
Woods, Spieth and McIlroy will start at 2:36 p.m. Quebec time on Friday afternoon.