JUST IN: Tiger Woods sees progress and confirms major return next year after missed cut at Royal Troon…
Woods had targeted a second round in the mid-60s to “get something going on the weekend” following an opening-day 79 in windy conditions, only to head home after a six-over 77 to miss the cut on 14 over.
“I’d like to have played more, but I just wanted to make sure that I was able to play the major championships this year,” Woods explained. “I got a lot of time off to get better, to be better physically, which has been the case all year.
Woods has only made 11 competitive starts since a car crash in February 2021 that left him with career-threatening injuries, struggling to contend during such a limited playing schedule.
The former world No 1 made a record 24th consecutive cut in the Masters but shot 82 and 77 over the weekend, then arrived at The Open off the back of early exits at both the PGA Championship and US Open.I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it. Physically I’ve gotten better, which is great. I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again.”
Woods conceded he “didn’t do a whole lot right” during his opening round, where he fell 14 strokes behind the early lead, with his fortunes only slightly better on a Friday morning containing just one birdie, five bogeys and a double-bogey.