WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Tiger Woods enjoyed another large following Saturday, but they didn’t enjoy his round.
Thanks to an erratic driver and a flurry of frustrating putts, Woods shot 1-over 71 and essentially sank out of contention at the Greenbrier Classic.
For the second straight day Woods declined to talk with the media, though in a brief statement to a PGA official he described his round as “kind of fighting an uphill battle.”
At 4 under for the tournament, he’ll be at least seven shots off the lead when play begins Sunday.
“I hit a lot of shots close,” Woods said. “I just need to convert on those and get some kind of string going in a positive way.”
So lethal in his prime, Woods had the galleries hoping for a bounce-back weekend after he reached 7-under with a birdie on No. 7. But his putter was unreliable, leading to four misses from inside 10 feet, and Woods began sliding with a bogey on No. 8.
After his 11th tee shot found the cart path and settled out of bounds, Woods was headed for a double-bogey.
“I gave myself plenty of looks early to get something going and get some kind of run,” he said. “Could have easily been 3-, 4-, 5-under par on the front nine. Just got nothing out of it. Hit that shot on 11, and there it goes.”
After hitting his approach shot on No. 12, Woods politely acknowledged a fan who yelled, “Put the pedal down, Tiger. We’re all with ya.”
No doubt they’ll be with him again Sunday—they just won’t be watching a guy with a chance to win the tournament.