Whatever Tiger shot, it was a victory
AUGUSTA, Ga. — There will be no references here to Cinderella’s coach pulling away into the gloom. No questions asking whether Tiger Woods stayed too long at the fair.
The game turned on Tiger on Saturday, as it does on so many golfers no matter their age or condition — remember, he’s 46 and still getting rehab on a reattached foot.
No matter whether the tournament is a local pro-am or as prestigious and difficult — at least for him; it sure isn’t difficult for Scottie Scheffler — as the third round of the Masters.
Woods shot a 6-over-par 78. He had three double bogies, one a four-putt. He played the final three holes, 16, 17 and 18, four over.
It left him, and his fans who tramped after him, depressed. It also left them with perspective.
Only a week ago, many people doubted that, 14 months after a car accident so serious that one law enforcement officer said Woods was lucky to be alive, he could play in the Masters, much less any tournament.
But he played, and he made the cut. That his scores climbed each successive round was unimportant. He made us understand what’s possible. In sports, in life.
He’s won 15 majors, 82 tournaments overall. But going the distance this Masters, no matter where he is on the scorecard, and after 54 holes he’s tied for 41st, may be his most impressive win ever.
There are days when the sun is warm and the flowers are in full bloom that Augusta National seems to be the greatest place on earth for a golfer.
The clouds never broke Saturday. The wind whistled, and the temperature was in the 50s. For the young, in-shape guys, that was OK. For a guy who is not so young and needs to ice the repaired body parts, it was a struggle.
Asked if he were bothered by the change in conditions, Woods said, “Changed? It hadn’t changed. It’s been hard. (Saturday) was a challenge with the conditions. They were tough today. They were tough Friday. But at least (then) we got a little bit of a lull at the end.
“I mean, it’s just like I hit a thousand putts out there on the greens,” said Woods. “I didn’t hit it that bad, but had two three-putts and a four-putt.” The latter was on that demonic 5th green, which is too far away and steep for many fans to have seen up close.
“Obviously, it affected the score. You take those (extra putts) away and I have a normal score.”
As golfers know all too well, putting is very much a part of the game, arguably the most critical part. A three-inch putt counts the same number of strokes as a 300-yard drive.
And on the first two days of the Masters, it was Tiger’s putting that kept him marginally in contention.
Yet this tournament has been uplifting, for Woods and for golf.
“Never give up,” he said of what others might gain from this Masters. “Each and every day presents a challenge. Each and every day, I get up and start the fight all over again.”
Which is the best anyone can do.