Tiger Woods had a brutal day at the PGA Championship and here is how it went down

Golf Tips
2:09 PM ET

Tiger Woods said he wanted to go low on the weekend at the PGA Championship. It became clear very quickly during Saturday’s third round that wasn’t happening. Instead, Woods, in cold, windy, rainy conditions, had the worst round of his career at this major championship, posting 9-over 79.

Get ESPN+ here | Download the app

During one stretch, he made five consecutive bogeys, something he had never done in a major championship as a professional. His walk was, again, labored, and his game was reminiscent of when he limped his way around two bad rounds on the weekend at last month’s Masters.

Here’s how Woods’ brutal day at Southern Hills went down:

No. 1: Par 4, 451 yards

He opened his day with a perfect drive. It went downhill from there. From an awkward lie, Woods missed the green short. Then he hit a bad, bad first putt from off the green, leaving it 15 feet short. But, like he did over the back nine on Friday to make the cut, Woods grinded out a par.

Score: Par

Total for the day: Even

Where he stands for the tournament: 3 over

No. 2: Par 4, 480 yards

Woods stared at his tee ball for a long time while it was in the air at the second. That is never a good sign. It went in the water. A strong iron after the penalty drop saved things from getting worse.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 1 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 4 over

No. 3: Par 4, 444 yards

Woods went with another high cut off the tee. That has been his move all week. Aside from the misjudged wind at the second that resulted in a water ball, it has worked. From there he converted an easy par.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 1 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 4 over

No. 4: Par 4, 377 yards

Another picture-perfect tee shot. Followed by a perfectly controlled, one-skip-and-stop wedge. But for one of the few times this week, Woods’ putter failed him. He lipped out the birdie putt from 6 feet. But how strange is golf? His playing partner, Shaun Norris, hit his tee shot in the hazard, but opted to play it from there instead of taking a penalty drop. With an impossible lie, Norris somehow got the ball onto the back of three green. Then, of course, he rolled in a 50-footer for birdie.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 1 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 4 over

No. 5: Par 5, 656 yards

A poor drive required an escape-artist recovery from the trees. And Woods did just that, with a low, slinging hook out of the trees. Back in the fairway, facing a much easier shot than the one he just hit, Woods hit a so-so iron that ended any chance for birdie.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 1 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 4 over

No. 6: Par 3, 226 yards

Well, that was a mess. Woods came up 30 yards short on the par-3, and the ball found the water. Things didn’t get better. From the drop zone, Woods hit a shaky wedge that did not reach the green. His green-side chip didn’t find the putting surface. The sixth is not an easy hole, but Woods certainly didn’t think he’d be walking away with a 6.

Score: Triple bogey

Total for the day: 4 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 7 over

No. 7: Par 4, 443 yards

A poor tee shot put Woods back in scramble mode. The rough was too deep, the lie was too bad for him to go for the green. He laid up. Hit a good pitch shot, but a not-so-good putt. So he followed the triple at the sixth with another dropped shot at the seventh.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 5 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 8 over

No. 8: Par 3, 220 yards

Woods hit another weak iron that settled miles from the pin. He did, though, hit a tremendous putt from 60 feet, one that almost found a way in for an unlikely birdie. But given how things had gone the previous few holes, a par was just fine.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 5 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 8 over

No. 9: Par 4, 395 yards

An ugly day got worse at the ninth. His driver, which had been so solid for so long at this PGA Championship, began to fail him. He found a bunker off the tee. In the sand, he failed to get out, instead firing a ball into the face of the fairway trap, a noticeable grimace as soon as he made impact. Fortunately for him, the ball embedded in grass instead of the bunker, which permitted Woods a free drop. Still, after it was all done, it was another rough hole to close out a 6-over 41 on the front side.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 6 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 9 over

No. 10: Par 4, 376 yards

Another missed fairway. The rough was so thick and wet, Woods could not even come close to reaching the green even though he had just 163 yards left. That was the eighth green he missed in 10 holes. Another dropped shot.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 7 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 10 over

No. 11: Par 3, 173 yards

Another woefully short iron shot. Then a horrible pitch that went over the green. Woods is struggling and, at this point, just wants to get to the clubhouse.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 8 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 11 over

No. 12: Par 4, 461 yards

Woods just smiled when his second shot landed in the bunker. Really, on a day like this, what else could he do?

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 9 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 12 over

No. 13: Par 5, 632 yards

Woods bladed another chip shot. Clearly, his body is not allowing him to get down on the ball on the short shots. A rare chance at a birdie turned into another bogey.

Score: Bogey

Total for the day: 10 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 13 over

No. 14: Par 3, 230 yards

Finally, a par. It didn’t come easily; Woods made a 6-footer to avoid a three-putt bogey. But it was his first par since the eighth hole.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 10 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 13 over

No. 15: Par 4, 417 yards

At last, something good happened for Woods. He rolled in a 35-footer for birdie. Why does it matter, beyond the fact that it was his first birdie of the round and gave him a reason to smile without it being a sarcastic smile? It moved him to 9 over, meaning breaking 80 for his round is back in play.

Score: Birdie

Total for the day: 9 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 12 over

No. 16: Par 4, 522 yards

Woods had 233 yards for his second shot … into a par-4. He looked back at caddie Joe LaCava when LaCava gave him the yardage. He was in disbelief. Still, Woods hit the green and got himself a par.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 9 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 12 over

No. 17: Par 4, 371 yards

A chance for another birdie vanished thanks to another poor bunker shot. Woods hit his tee ball at the drivable par-4 into the greenside trap, but then blasted his approach 20 feet long and off the green. A par on 18 and he will avoid shooting 80.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 9 over

Where he stands for the tournament: 12 over

No. 18: Par 4, 491 yards

Woods was 10 over through 13 holes. A score in the 80s seemed inevitable. But Woods doesn’t give up, and he played his final five holes in 1 under to avoid his third round in the 80s as a professional. Still, his third-round 79 was the worst score he has ever posted at the PGA Championship.

Score: Par

Total for the day: 9-over 79

Where he stands for the tournament: 12 over

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related Posts

Rory: Ryder Cup pay would ‘change the dynamic’

Rory McIlroy and other Europeans this week scoffed at the idea of compensation for participation in the Ryder Cup, saying they remain delighted to participate in the event merely for what European captain Luke Donald called “passion” for golf and country.