Tiger Woods was in great form at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday, as he fired a five-under 67 to end his round tied for fourth with groups still on the course.
The 67 is just one stroke shy of his career-best mark on the course, and it left him four shots behind clubhouse leader, Roberto Castro—who tied the course record with his nine-under 63. With the course having virtually no wind, it was ideal for scoring.
Were it not for a bogey on No. 18, Woods would have fired his first bogey-free round on Sawgrass. While the bogey to close his round will leave him with a bit of a sour taste, it likely will not keep him from sleeping tonight.
Woods is in great shape on a course that has plagued him. Since his victory here in 2001, Woods has just one top-10 finish. Making his performance even more impressive is the fact that this time he has been back in tournament action since the Masters.
Despite starting his round while looking way up at Castro, Tiger played smart and safe golf. It became apparent right away that Tiger would not be pulling out his problematic driver that often.
Tiger mustered a solid par on the opening hole and moved on to the par-five second. Par-fives are always key to Tiger. When he wins tournaments, he almost always shreds the par-fives. So, when his second shot found a bunker, it looked like he was going to get off to a pedestrian start on those holes.
The birdie gave Tiger early momentum, and it displays yet another area of his game that has made huge strides during his comeback. FOXSports.com senior golf writer Robert Lusetich highlights that with this tweet:
With Tiger consistently pulling out a three wood on the tee, he was drilling the fairways and playing solid golf as he carded six straight pars.
However, his par streak would not have gone that long were it not for what has to be his most regrettable shot of the day.
Tiger's ball took a hop off a spike mark, but it was going to be right regardless. This is the kind of missed opportunity that can derail a round. However, Tiger was too on his game to be denied on this day.
He had a solid par on the par-three eighth, and then played the par-five ninth to perfection. After laying up with his second shot, this approach gives you an idea of the kind of pinpoint distance control Tiger had working with his wedges on this day:
That gave Tiger two birdies on the front's two par-fives, and without a bogey, he finished the side with a solid two-under 34.
The birdie dropped Woods to three-under, but he wasn't content. He stayed aggressive on the par-five 11th as he went for the green in two. He didn't quite make it, but it set up for an easy birdie to move him to four-under.
It did seem effortless. Tiger wasn't getting into much trouble. He was hitting his spots just like you'd draw it up.
However, No. 14 did not carry the same sense of effortlessness. Taking out his driver (likely due to the fact he was going into a headwind), Tiger sailed his drive far right, and he had to pound his ball out of the pine straw.
He came up short and left himself with a difficult chip, but he managed to get up and down. This proved to be a nice par on a difficult hole.
An uneventful par on the 15th led Tiger to the final par-five of the day. He went with the driver and left it in good shape, but just off the fairway. He was short of the green on his second, but got up and down from there for a birdie to move into second place at six-under.
This hole has not been kind to Tiger; he's played it at 11-over during his career. Pulling out his sand wedge, he went wide right and a putt that had to travel nearly the length of the green. He put it within five feet and cleaned it up for his par.
After a beautiful drive on the water lined No. 18, Woods nearly stuck it tight, but he had just a little too much mustard on his approach and it rolled off the back of the green.
It was an unfortunate break, and it left him with a difficult chip, which he didn't hit hard enough to clear the crest of the hill. He was forced to go up and down from there for the bogey.
Tiger made a slight equipment change at some point between the Masters and today. PGATour.com's equipment manager, Jonathan Wall, tweeted the details:
This course has never been well suited to Tiger's strengths, and he's struggled mightily here in the past. His performance here today shows how comfortable he is with his swing and his game.
Via: 1. FC Union Berlin - MSV Duisburg - German 2. Bundesliga
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