Woeful Tiger Woods misses the cut
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after a miserable round of 79
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FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Julian Linden
Tiger Woods had a shocking meltdown in the second round of the Quail Hollow Championship, matching the worst nine-hole score of his US PGA Tour career and ending up with a seven-over 79 to miss a cut for only the sixth time in his 14-year career.
He had three-putt bogeys on consecutive holes. He hit a flop shot that ran over the green and into the water. And he bottomed out on the 15th green with a four-putt double bogey from just over 30 feet.
"It is what it is," Woods said when asked if rustiness was the culprit. "Whatever it was, it wasn't good enough."
Not even close. Making the performance even more surprising was the fact that Woods was coming off a tie for fourth at the Masters three weeks ago, a remarkable performance considering it was his first competition since a five-month break after being caught cheating repeatedly on his wife.
This was a big step back. The 79 was his second-worst score as a pro behind an 81 that Woods shot in the wind-blown third round of the 2002 Open at Muirfield when he was going for the Grand Slam.
His 43 on in the outward half tied his worst nine-hole score on tour; he also shot 43 at the Bay Hill Invitational three years ago, and the 1996 Tour Championship.
"He's obviously got things in his mind other than what's going between the ropes right now," said Open champion Stewart Cink, who played with Woods. "You've got to learn how to balance what's going on in your life with your golf. And if you're not in a great place mentally, then it sometimes shows up out there."
This was Woods' first time playing at a regular US PGA Tour event with public ticket sales, and the crowd was gracious as ever with only a few exceptions, which were a comment more on his golf than his extra-marital behaviour. Two fans, including a woman, held thumbs-down as Woods walked off the 15th green. Police also escorted away a fan who apparently heckled Woods as he left the 17th green.
A friend of the fan, who declined to give his name, said the offending barb was: "No red shirt for you on Sunday."
Otherwise, it was clear over the last two days the fans were more interested in Woods as a golfer than anything to do with his personal life. He just didn't give them much to cheer. And he won't be around for the weekend.
As Woods struggled, many of his main rivals, including Masters champion Phil Mickelson, ripped up the course on a perfect spring day.
Billy Mayfair was the leader through 36 holes. At eight-under 136 after a 68, he had a one-shot lead over two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, who played in Woods' group.
For Woods, it was the first time he had missed a cut since the Open last summer at Turnberry, and the first time at a regular US PGA Tour event since the Disney Classic at the end of the 2005 season.
"Give this guy a chance, though. He'll bounce back," Mayfair said. "We all know that. Everyone on tour knows that. By him missing a few cuts here and there, it's just going to make him come back even stronger. I don't think anyone out here is worried about Tiger, and I'm sure Tiger is not worried about it right now, either."
Cink, who also missed the cut, added: "I've seen him struggle like that off the tee. But he's usually the magician that gets the ball up and down from everywhere, hits some miraculous shots out of the trees and stuff. But you've got to remember, he hasn't played a lot of golf since about November. It's hard to just come back and be the magician instantly."
Mickelson, who was ill from food poisoning and faded late in his opening round, looked a picture of health as he shot a four-under-par 68 to be suddenly feeling upbeat about his chances."I should be 100 per cent for the weekend," he declared.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Billy Mayfair 68 68
137 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 67
138 Phil Mickelson 70 68, Dustin Johnson 73 65, Paul Goydos 68 70, J.P. Hayes 74 64
139 J J Henry 68 71, Camilo Villegas (Col) 67 72
140 Jim Furyk 75 65, Garth Mulroy (Rsa) 69 71, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 68 72, Tom Gillis 71 69, Kevin Sutherland 72 68
141 Nick Watney 70 71, Davis Love III 70 71, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 70 71, Ricky Barnes 69 72, Kevin Na 72 69, Anthony Kim 72 69, Bill Haas 71 70, Robert Allenby (Aus) 71 70, Bo Van Pelt 65 76
142 Hunter Mahan 71 71, Chad Campbell 72 70, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 74 68, John Merrick 72 70, Lucas Glover 71 71, Joe Ogilvie 73 69
143 Brendon De Jonge 70 73, Bubba Watson 70 73, Heath Slocum 69 74, Brad Faxon 68 75, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 71 72, Chris Tidland 72 71, Carlos Franco (Par) 72 71, Rickie Fowler 73 70, Johnson Wagner 73 70
144 Aron Price (Aus) 75 69, Charley Hoffman 72 72, Chris Stroud 73 71, Zach Johnson 71 73, Brian Gay 73 71, Jason Day (Aus) 73 71, Blake Adams 73 71, Chad Collins 74 70, Andres Romero (Arg) 68 76, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 72 72
145 Brian Stuard 69 76, Bill Lunde 73 72, Ross Fisher (Eng) 72 73, Roger Tambellini 74 71, Steve Wheatcroft 75 70, Greg Owen (Eng) 74 71, Matthew Jones (Aus) 74 71, Charles Howell III 74 71, Will MacKenzie 71 74, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 72 73, Steve Marino 73 72, Brett Quigley 73 72, Tim Petrovic 74 71, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 74 71, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 75 70, Lee Westwood (Eng) 73 72, Henrik Bjornstad (Nor) 72 73, Scott McCarron 70 75, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 70 75, Tim Herron 71 74, Michael Connell 76 69, Mark Wilson 73 72, Kenny Perry 66 79, D.A. Points 72 73, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 73 72, Mark Calcavecchia 71 74, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 74 71, Rocco Mediate 70 75, Brandt Snedeker 70 75, D.J. Trahan 73 72
MISSED THE CUT
146 Kris Blanks 72 74, Vaughn Taylor 71 75, John Senden (Aus) 74 72, David Toms 71 75, Ted Purdy 76 70, Scott Piercy 75 71, Matt Kuchar 75 71, Chez Reavie 73 73, Alex Cejka (Ger) 70 76, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 72 74, Troy Matteson 70 76, Ryan Moore 73 73, Jason Bohn 75 71
147 David Lutterus (Rsa) 76 71, Jeff Overton 71 76, David Duval 71 76, Webb Simpson 74 73, Alex Prugh 72 75, Martin Laird (Sco) 72 75, Cortland Lowe 75 72, Brian Davis (Eng) 76 71, Pat Perez 76 71, Stewart Cink 72 75, Fred Couples 76 71, Derek Lamely 75 72, Michael Allen 75 72, J.B. Holmes 79 68, George McNeill 74 73, Jeff Maggert 74 73, Kevin Stadler 72 75, Jonathan Byrd 72 75
148 Spencer Levin 75 73, Charles Warren 74 74, Chris Riley 77 71, Harrison Frazar 70 78, Garrett Willis 74 74, Ben Curtis 71 77, Cameron Percy (Aus) 69 79, James Nitties (Aus) 72 76, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 73 75, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 77 71, Jimmy Walker 73 75, Josh Teater 74 74
149 James Driscoll 73 76, Matt Bettencourt 78 71, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 73 76, Kevin Streelman 74 75, Vijay Singh (Fij) 77 72, Sean O'Hair 72 77, Rich Barcelo 75 74, Cameron Tringale 78 71
150 Bryce Molder 76 74, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 72 78, Woody Austin 74 76, Boo Weekley 74 76, Jerod Turner 76 74
151 Nathan Green (Aus) 77 74, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 78 73, Adam Scott (Aus) 78 73, Roland Thatcher 75 76
152 Martin Flores 76 76, Troy Merritt 76 76
153 Daniel Chopra (Swe) 76 77, Tiger Woods 74 79, Omar Uresti 81 72, Cameron Beckman 78 75, Jeff Quinney 74 79
154 Vance Veazey 76 78, Steve Lowery 76 78, Craig Bowden 76 78
155 Jason Dufner 80 75, Notah Begay III 78 77
156 Nicholas Thompson 75 81
157 Jeff Klauk 78 79
158 Willis Ring 78 80, Kevin Johnson 81 77
165 Jeff Peck 87 78
Withdrew: 88 Parker McLachlin