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PINEHURST, N.C. — As 15-time main champion Tiger Woods watched his putt roll down the inexperienced on the fifteenth gap at Pinehurst No. 2 on Friday, he took a half-step off the perimeter, anticipating that his ball was about to fall within the cup.
As a substitute, Woods immediately stopped and stared in disbelief as his ball lipped out, denying him a birdie he desperately wanted to make the lower within the 124th U.S. Open.
“Yeah, 15 damage,” Woods mentioned after the spherical. “That was a candy little 7-iron in there and putt, high-side lip. If I make that putt, it flips the momentum, and I am trying fairly good on the final three holes. As a substitute, I am on the incorrect aspect of the lower line and having to do one thing good on the final three holes.”
With the projected 36-hole lower at 5 over, and Woods sitting at 6 over, he needed to make a birdie on the ultimate three holes to stay round for the weekend.
The three-time U.S. Open winner hit an important strategy after pulling his tee shot into pine straw on No. 16, however his ball did not maintain the inexperienced. He did not hit a putt again up the inexperienced onerous sufficient and made a bogey. Then Woods almost holed out for birdie from a greenside bunker on No. 17 however settled for par on the final two holes.
Woods, 48, carded a 3-over 73 within the second spherical and was 7-over 147 after 36 holes. He missed the lower by 2 strokes.
“Effectively, it was most likely the best rating I may have probably shot at this time,” Woods mentioned. “I hit a number of good photographs that simply did not fairly go my approach, or I hit good putts, after which I put myself in a pair unhealthy spots with some unhealthy lag putts. However once more, as I mentioned, it was most likely the best rating I may have shot at this time.”
Woods has missed the lower 4 instances in his previous 5 begins within the U.S. Open; he final made the lower when he tied for twenty first at Pebble Seaside in 2019. He had missed just one lower in his first 16 begins within the event as a professional.
It was his thirteenth consecutive spherical of par or worse in a significant, the longest streak of his profession. He missed the lower or withdrew in 5 of his previous six begins in majors.
“Effectively, it is a kind of issues the place with a view to win a golf event, you need to make the lower,” Woods mentioned. “I can not win the event from the place I am at, so it actually is irritating. I believed I performed nicely sufficient to be up there in rivalry. It simply did not work out.”
Woods, who obtained a particular exemption from the USGA to play within the event, was requested if this could possibly be his final U.S. Open.
“So far as my final Open Championship or U.S. Open Championship, I do not know what that’s,” he mentioned. “It might or might not be.”
Making simply his fourth PGA Tour begin this season, Woods regarded stronger and performed higher than he did in final month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky.
Woods hit 21 of 28 fairways and averaged 314.2 yards off the tee in two rounds on the U.S. Open. Woods struggled with accuracy on his iron photographs, which is a prerequisite for contending at Pinehurst No. 2, and he wanted 62 putts in two rounds.
Requested after Friday’s spherical if his plan would proceed to be to not play in tournaments in preparation for the 4 majors, Woods did not appear able to budge. He plans to play in The Open at Royal Troon Golf Course in Scotland on July 18-21 and will not seem in an official PGA Tour occasion once more this season.
“I’ve solely acquired yet another event this season,” Woods mentioned. “Even when I win the British Open, I do not suppose I will be within the [FedEx Cup] playoffs. Only one extra occasion after which I will come again at any time when I come again.”
