Tiger briefly leads British Open, falls just short with 71

Woods opened his day at five-under par, four shots back of the leaders, fellow Americans Kevin Kisner, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele. He enjoyed a two-shot victory today, with a 6-foot birdie at the last hole earning him separation from the pack chasing him.

Tiger Woods may have had to watch playing partner Francesco Molinari lift The Claret Jug after winning the British Open but all his rivals will have taken note of the American’s return to form. He had got away with his poor play earlier in the week, making par or holing a putt for birdie.

Bidding to win his 15th major 40 years removed from Jack Nicklaus doing the same thing in 1978 at St. Andrews, Woods had not been in this position in years. My second shot going into the third was such a bad shot.

But while Woods faded after dropping three strokes in two holes at the 11th and 12th, Molinari kept his cool to shoot a second consecutive bogey-free round.

But Woods, who led the field in driving accuracy through three rounds, misfired with a 3-iron off the tee at the par-4 11th.

Sunday’s result was not what numerous thousands who tracked through the humps and hollows of the links course wanted, though it probably was for the male spectator who heckled Woods as he hit his drive at the final hole.

Schauffele was playing in the final pairing at a major for the first time.

Jordan Spieth says it is a “dream come true” to battle 14-time major victor Tiger Woods on the final day of the Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Tommy Fleetwood also started his round at 5-under, like Woods, and birdied the first to a massive ovation.

Adam Scott and Jason Day will wonder what might have been after Australia’s British Open title drought extended to 25 years with another unsuccessful tilt at Carnoustie.

Woods found the sand on the par three eighth but got it to puttable range and parred it and again on the ninth he found sand but repeated the escape act with a par and found himself alone in the lead.

“The way Francesco played today was attractive”, said Woods.

His 66 wasn’t even the best of the day – Justin Rose shot 64, Jordan Spieth and Francesco Molinari 65s – but it likely was what fans were talking about when they left the course.

The yellow grass of a dry summer in Scotland comes to life Sunday because of a red shirt at the British Open.

For a 20-minute spell, Woods’s name was on top of the leaderboard, which prompted the idea that the other contenders, the young Turks…

Three-time Claret Jug victor Woods, who missed the previous two Opens with back issues, added: “That was good”.

Tiger entered the final round four shots off the lead, but he’s in the mix.

Rory McIlroy was also heading in the wrong direction, the four-time major victor dropping shots on the second and fifth to join Fleetwood on three under. While it may not be entirely accurate, what is true is that Woods is playing his best golf at a major in years.