Bucketful of three putts proves costly for Woods
Source: Agencies |
July 20, 2010, Tuesday
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TIGER Woods was delighted with his performance from tee to green and in despair over his putting after the British Open final round on Sunday.
"I drove it great all week, hit my irons pretty good and did not putt well except for the first day," the world No. 1 told reporters after a closing 72 gave him a 3-under tally of 285.
"I feel satisfaction in the sense I drove it on a string all week and hit my irons pretty good (but) you just can't play and expect to win golf tournaments if you have nine or 10 three-putts for a week.
"No one can win doing that," added Woods. "Driving-wise it's better than it's been in years. Iron play, not quite as sharp as I need to have it, and my putting is way off.
"I've got to clean that up before I tee it up again."
At the start of the week Woods took the radical step of ditching the putter he had used for 11 years in favour of a new Nike model.
The 34-year-old American put the old wand back in his bag on Sunday but was unable to exorcise the putting demons that had haunted him for the previous two rounds at St Andrews.
"The greens were a little bit faster today than they were the first day," said Woods. "I just didn't feel comfortable with my speed so I went back to my old putter.
"That's just the way it goes. I'm not going to win all of them, I've lost a lot more than I've won."
The 14-time major champion, who was attempting to capture a record third St Andrews Open after lifting the Claret Jug here in 2000 and 2005, said he needed to be less erratic than he had been of late.
"I've got to keep building, keep putting things back to where they're more consistent day in and day out," said Woods, who also won the third major of the year at Hoylake in 2006.
"But just like today, got to not have those holes where it breaks momentum," he said, referring to two double bogeys he suffered on the front nine.
"Once I build some positive momentum I've got to keep that going."
The second of his double bogeys came at the par-four seventh where he was up against the wall of a fairway bunker.
Woods then had to play back down the fairway before he pitched short and three-putted.
"I drove it great all week, hit my irons pretty good and did not putt well except for the first day," the world No. 1 told reporters after a closing 72 gave him a 3-under tally of 285.
"I feel satisfaction in the sense I drove it on a string all week and hit my irons pretty good (but) you just can't play and expect to win golf tournaments if you have nine or 10 three-putts for a week.
"No one can win doing that," added Woods. "Driving-wise it's better than it's been in years. Iron play, not quite as sharp as I need to have it, and my putting is way off.
"I've got to clean that up before I tee it up again."
At the start of the week Woods took the radical step of ditching the putter he had used for 11 years in favour of a new Nike model.
The 34-year-old American put the old wand back in his bag on Sunday but was unable to exorcise the putting demons that had haunted him for the previous two rounds at St Andrews.
"The greens were a little bit faster today than they were the first day," said Woods. "I just didn't feel comfortable with my speed so I went back to my old putter.
"That's just the way it goes. I'm not going to win all of them, I've lost a lot more than I've won."
The 14-time major champion, who was attempting to capture a record third St Andrews Open after lifting the Claret Jug here in 2000 and 2005, said he needed to be less erratic than he had been of late.
"I've got to keep building, keep putting things back to where they're more consistent day in and day out," said Woods, who also won the third major of the year at Hoylake in 2006.
"But just like today, got to not have those holes where it breaks momentum," he said, referring to two double bogeys he suffered on the front nine.
"Once I build some positive momentum I've got to keep that going."
The second of his double bogeys came at the par-four seventh where he was up against the wall of a fairway bunker.
Woods then had to play back down the fairway before he pitched short and three-putted.
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