AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods will have work to do Sunday to avoid the worst Masters round of his career.
The five-time Masters winner recorded consecutive double bogeys in the third round and was 6 over par through seven holes when play was suspended for the day at Augusta National.
Limping down the 17th fairway in 45-degree temperatures and a steady rain, Woods was in last place, by three shots, at 9 over par when the horn sounded. He was 22 shots off the lead.
Full-field scores from the 87th Masters Tournament
Woods’ worst-ever rounds at Augusta National came a year ago, when he recorded weekend rounds of 78 after making the cut in his first competitive start in 14 months because of serious injuries to his lower right leg.
This weekend always set up poorly for Woods, who was forced to return to the course for the 8 a.m. restart Saturday. With seven holes to play, he moved inside the cut line with a birdie on 15 but then backed up with back-to-back bogeys to close out his second round. Woods had to wait about an hour to see if his 3-over 147 would be enough to make his 23rd consecutive cut at the Masters, tying him for the most all time with Fred Couples and Gary Player.
Hobbling around a rain-soaked course, Woods’ limp became decidedly more pronounced through the third round. Starting on the second nine, he bogeyed the 10th and 14th holes before making a mess of the 15th (where he spun a wedge back into the water) and 16th holes (chunk-pulling a short iron into the pond). It was the first time in his Masters career that he recorded consecutive double bogeys.
Woods’ fitness will once again be a question before the restart on Sunday, when temperatures are expected to return to the low-60s. Now making his 25th appearance, he has never withdrawn during a round at the Masters.
Earlier this week, Woods’ caddie Joe LaCava told the New York Post: “He’s pretty banged up. If it wasn’t Augusta, he probably wouldn’t be playing.”
He also added: “I can’t imagine him trying to go 27-plus holes [in one day] around here.”
Woods will have 28 ½ holes to complete on Sunday.
