TIGER WOODS HAILS ‘GOOD WEEK’ DESPITE FINISHING LAST AT MASTERS AFTER RESORTING TO SWING TIPS FROM 15-YEAR-OLD SON

A defiant Tiger Woods insisted it was a “good week” for him overall at the Masters despite finishing 60th and last of those who made the cut.

The five-time champion, who warmed up for his final round on Sunday getting feedback on the range from his son Charlie but struggled again out on course, suffering the ignominy of being driven back to the tee box on five after losing his ball, eventually posted a five-over-par 77 to finish on 16 over for the tournament.

Woods’ 304 strokes was his worst ever score at Augusta and four shots worse than his playing partner Neal Shipley, the last amateur in the field.

Woods, though, insisted he was happy overall given how little he had played in the build-up to this Masters, adding that he was looking forward to getting some “longer practice sessions in” ahead of next month’s US PGA at Valhalla.

“It was a good week,” he said. “A good week all around. I think that coming in here, not having played a full tournament in a very long time, it was a good fight on Thursday and Friday.”

Woods had battled brilliantly to make a record 24th consecutive cut at the Masters, shooting a 73 and a 72 in tricky, windy conditions on Thursday and Friday. But after saying he felt he could win a sixth green jacket, Woods shot 82 on Saturday, his worst ever round in a major.

Woods was spotted on the range before his final round in the company of son Charlie. The 15-year-old, himself an accomplished golfer, helped his father work through some swing drills. But Woods still struggled, sweating profusely as he laboured around Augusta’s hilly course.

At one stage, after losing his ball off the tee at the fifth, he had to be driven back to the tee box in a cart to reload. He shot a triple-bogey seven there, and went out in 40 before stabilising on the back nine. Woods hit the pin on 14, eliciting roars from the crowd, and only dropped one shot, at the par-five 15th.

“Unfortunately yesterday it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to,” he reflected of his weekend. “Today the round that I − the way that Tom [Kim, who shot 66] is playing, I thought I had in my system. Unfortunately, I didn’t produce it.”

Woods said he would keep grinding away in the build-up to next month’s US PGA Championship at Valhalla. The Louisville, Kentucky course is one he knows well, having won the PGA title there 24 years ago. And he said he was also looking forward to the US Open at Pinehurst in June and the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in July

“I think the rest of the majors is definitely doable,” he said. “Hopefully for the next three my body will cooperate.

“This is a golf course I knew going into it, so I’m going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon. But that’s kind of the gameplan.”

Asked how he could turn two good rounds into four at Valhalla, Woods added: “Well, just keep lifting, keep the motor going, keep the body moving, keep getting stronger, keep progressing. Hopefully the practice sessions will keep getting longer.”

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2024-04-15T06:44:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd