Tiger Woods First Tournament Back Should be Considered a Success

The 14-time Major champion, who made his comeback after 16 months due to back surgery, struggled to a four-over 76 to finish 15th at the elite 18-man event at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas. “I need to balance it out”.

Woods was all over the course on his final 18.

“I’m definitely not as fresh as I would like to be”. Nice work if you can get it. “There are all these different things you can’t simulate at home”. ‘We’re going to be smart about it heading to the Masters, ‘ he said.

“I have played very, very well until today”, the world No.6 said of his sizzling run that included a maiden World Golf Championships title in Shanghai in October. Yet he was reluctant to make too much of it.

The inference by fans and players after four days of classy play at this lovely island course was that the Big Cat is back in the mix and ready to hunt in the season to come! Woods is free to tinker and test equipment options without making a long-term commitment following Nike’s exit from the hard-goods space, and after closing with a 4-over 76, Woods indicated that’s just what he plans to do. “Unfortunately, it didn’t continue for two of the three days”. “I would like to get another solid round”.

Those four birdies in his first five holes had lifted the American ace to -10 -within two shots of the lead on Day 3 of the Hero World Challenge golf meet at the Albany course here on Saturday.

“That’s the most concerning part of the game, is getting off to I guess halfway decent starts”, Woods said.

Chamblee was also unimpressed by Woods’ chipping, the low point being a chunked chip at the par-five sixth on Sunday which led to a double-bogey. “I made some poor decisions, caught it in the wrong spots”.

Former world number one Woods – now ranked 898th – told Sky Sports 4: “It feels good”. He said she helped keep him positive when his lead was shrinking.

“Whatever he gave me on 14, I gave it straight back to him on 15”, Stenson said. US President-elect Donald Trump tweeted before the round began.

Woods added that he hoped to play a full schedule next year, beginning in California next month. Matsuyama was two shots ahead when he laid up on the short seventh hole, which played downwind, and then one-hopped his wedge into the cup for an eagle. “Hopefully, along the way I can play well on the PGA Tour, but the Masters is my next goal”. He missed a 10-foot par putt at the 10th and made double bogey at the par-5 11th by finding the native sand and rough beyond the green, then chipping down the far side of the green and missing an eight-foot bogey putt.