LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tiger Woods was feeling at least a little better at the end of Thursday’s PGA Championship opener at Valhalla.
Playing in his third tournament of the year, Woods started with a 1-over 72 but was 1-under heading into the final two holes.
Starting from the 10th tee, Woods’ final two holes were the 8th and 9th, both of which resulted in a pair of three-putts for bogey.
“Well, I three-whipped the last two holes,” Woods said. “It wasn’t very good. I didn’t have the speed on the 8, so it went right past the hole. Then on the 9th, (I) went short and hit the heel of the putter and blocked the second shot. So the last two holes weren’t very good.”
Woods was in 54th place at the finish.
A score in the low 70s, including a tie, will qualify for the weekend. So Woods has a job to do.
He qualified for the Masters last month and set a record with 24 consecutive appearances at Augusta National.
However, Woods, who was forced to play 23 holes on Friday of that week due to weather, finished last out of 60 players who qualified for the Masters.
Woods, who won the PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2000 but did not play in 2014 when the PGA returned to the course, said he liked the way his body felt during the round.
“I’m definitely getting stronger,” he said. “I just haven’t played a lot of competitive rounds. I haven’t played since the Masters. So it’s a little different than being at home and playing on a flat Florida course.”
He said the most difficult part of Thursday’s adjustment was getting into the “competitive flow.”
“It probably took me three holes to get back into the competitive flow and get the feeling of hitting the ball competitively, the adrenaline, the temperature, the speed of the greens,” he said. “These are all things I usually get used to quickly, and it only took me a few holes to get used to it.”
Asked if he has any tips for working hard and making it to the majors even when he’s not playing at his best, the 47-year-old Woods said he tried his best to sound like he was when he expected to win. Ta.
“Well, you can’t win a tournament if you don’t survive,” he said. “I’ve won tournaments by getting into the cut numbers, I’ve won tournaments by leading from the front in tournaments. But to win a golf tournament, you have to go on the weekend. yeah.”
