24 Hours After Scripting History, Tiger Woods Succumbs to Dark Reality Check at Augusta

Less than 24 hours after creating history, Tiger Woods is faced with a brutal reality. The five-time Masters champion carded a 6-over 42 in the first nine on Friday. Woods made two consecutive double bogeys on the par 4, 7th, and the par 5, 8th, bookended by two bogeys on the 6th and 9th. That’s his worst first-nine score at the Masters. The double bogey on Yellow Jasmine was also his first in his career on the eighth, Dan Rapaport tweeted. 

Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated tweeted, “A 42 for Tiger on the front is his highest ever. His previous worsts were a 40 in 1997 (he went on to win by 12) and a 40 in 2004 (when he tied for 22).” In fact, that’s also the Hall of Famer’s poorest score in the front nine in any competitive round. The gains he scored yesterday have been erased with errant shots and birdie putts that he couldn’t convert. 

At one point, even the commentator said, “can realistically see him call quits after 9 holes today.” That will be massively disappointing as tomorrow was going to be his 100th round at the Masters. Tiger Woods ended up posting his worst Masters score at 10-over 82. Only twice has the veteran golfer gone beyond 80 in the Majors. First was the 81 on the moving day of the 2002 Open Championship, where he finished T39, on the back a 65 on Sunday. The second was in the 2015 US Open, where he carded 80 & 76 to miss the cut.

It appears, that traversing through the hilly terrain of Augusta National through 48 holes has taken a massive toll on him. Woods has only completed full 72 hole-rounds only three times in as many years. However, the veteran golfer swatted aside all the withdrawal talks reasserting his hopes for the elusive sixth green jacket.

“I’m here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament. I’m right there. I’m only eight back as of right now. I don’t think anyone is going to run off and hide right now, but it’s really bunched,” Tiger Woods said after the second round. The former world no.1 had reasons to hope. He became the first player in history to make 24 consecutive cuts at the Masters. But his body language on the moving day betrays the harsh reality.

What might have aggravated the problem for Tiger Woods?

Since the weather forecast predicted heavy rain on Thursday morning, the question was whether Woods, with a late tee time, would be able to finish his round. He couldn’t. Resultantly, the 48-year-old had to play 23 holes on the cut-day. Woods had a pain patch attached to his back. And, a clip showed him massaging his torso and lower spine with some sort of icy hot pain relief. The veteran didn’t hide that every part of his body hurt. 

It seems that Woods’s legs don’t correspond to the dreams he wants to realize with an iron in his hand. The veteran was slow to move yesterday; his group took around 3 hours to complete the first nine. Notably, Woods admitted in the pre-tournament press conference that tackling the hilly slopes of Augusta would be a challenge. Unfortunately, he might have been dead right. Smylie Kaufman, too, pointed out that Woods’s legs don’t brace his swing, which forces the veteran to put more pressure on his back.

To stay updated with everything ongoing at the Augusta National during the 88th Masters, keep reading! Do you think Woods will succumb or he will shine through? It remains to be seen!