PGA Championship 2024: Tiger Woods can’t overcome ‘mistakes’ as he heads home early from Valhalla
2024 PGA Championship: Tiger Woods can’t overcome ‘mistake’ after early return from Valhalla
LOUISVILLE — The warm emotions around Valhalla Golf Club revolved around Tiger Woods. They love a winner from their Midwestern hometown, and Woods has long been their adopted son, ever since his emotional win at the 2000 PGA Championship. Unfortunately, Woods could not match the fans’ enthusiasm with inspired play.
His explanation after two grinding, soggy days in the 106th PGA: “Unfortunately, I hit too many shots.”
Indeed, he did, and it means that Woods won’t play at Valhalla on the weekend for the second time in three major appearances here. After opening this major with a 72 that might have been the worst score he could shoot, Woods imploded over three straight holes early in his second round, sandwiching triple bogeys at Nos. 2 and 4, the result of sloppy shots, around a bogey to eliminate any chance of making the cut. As the sun began to set, Woods finished to the cheers of a small gallery at 18, finished with a birdie for a six-over 77 and returned home tied for 134th at seven-over. He finished the two days 19 shots behind leader Xander Schauffele. “I just kept making mistakes and doing things that you shouldn’t do, not just in tournaments, but especially in majors,” Woods said. “And I kept doing them. We stayed there for most of the day, but unfortunately the damage was done quickly. »
The triple bogey was ugly for a variety of reasons. At the par-4 second hole, Woods’ difficulty during practice became difficult after his approach, and he changed the course to a bunker. Later, noting that in the first bunker, there was no sand, he broke his fourth blow on the bunker on the other side of the green. Then, after the third scarecrow in the third, Woods again discovered a bunker with Zelenide with a third blow, and he had to escape. After that, he scored 7 and 8, only two shots with the scarecrow in 11 and 12 in front of the final bird.
The 48-year-old Woods won four PGA championships in its first 11 attempts, but in 2018 there is only one top-10-second solo in Bellerive-in its last 11 starts. He started the year shooting 74-74 and missed the cut four times in his last seven starts, missing the weekend at Valhalla in 2014 and being forced to retire after three rounds at Southern Hills in 2022.
When asked if he was stronger than he was a month ago, when he last played in the Masters, Woods nodded but added, “There’s still a lot to work on and a lot to improve physically. Hopefully my team and I can start at Pinehurst with a positive outcome.” That.
It’s a tough deal, as Woods has only started three matches this year and is now seven rounds into the season against the toughest lineup on tour. But Woods will have another chance to advance when he plays at No. 2 in the U.S. Open next month at Pinehurst after receiving a special exemption from the USGA.
“I just haven’t played a lot of tournaments and I don’t have a lot of tournaments on my calendar,” he said.
