Putter proves Tiger’s bogey
WORLD No.1 Tiger Woods blamed his putting for a disappointing sixth-place finish in the PGA National at Congressional Country Club today (AEST).
“Didn’t putt well,” said Woods, who hosted the inaugural $US6 ($7 million) tournament in suburban Washington, DC.
“Yesterday I hit good putts and they didn’t go in and today I hit bad putts. Left a lot of putts short.
“I had a lot of trouble getting the ball to the hole this week, and I needed to putt well and they were just not going to go in.”
Woods shot an even-par, final-round 70 to finish at two-under 278 for the tournament.
He entered the final day seven strokes off the pace, and any hopes of making a run at the leaders were dashed with a three-over 38 on the front nine.
Woods bogeyed the 4th and 7th and suffered a double-bogey on the par-five 9th.
“What happened on nine? I got seven consecutive shots and the last one finally went,” said Woods.
“Seven and nine, both were very frustrating. (They) basically put me out of the tournament.”
The 31-year-old had four birdies on the back nine but a three-under 32 was not enough to put him in contention and he finished in a tie for sixth with Australia’s Robert Allenby.
Woods said he is in good form for the Open Championship at Carnoustie in two weeks.
“I’m very pleased at the way I hit the golf ball,” he said. “The entire week I hit the ball really well. I just didn’t make anything this week.
“Just never could get a putt to the hole, and when I did, it usually seemed to kind of fall by the wayside.”
South Korea’s K.J. Choi won the tournament with a nine-under 271 for his second title in the last five weeks.
Reuters