SAN DIEGO -- He will tee off early Saturday, and far removed from the leaders. And to think that Tiger Woods is OK with that shows how much things have changed after numerous injuries and comebacks.
Woods was obviously pleased after he rallied over his final nine holes Friday to make the 36-hole cut -- on the number -- at the Farmers Insurance Open.
A seven-time winner of the tournament, Woods made four birdies on the front side of the North Course at Torrey Pines (his final nine), including a two-putt birdie from 90 feet on his last hole.
The 1-under-par 71 put him at 1-under 143 for the tournament and 10 strokes behind leader Ryan Palmer. But playing the weekend was a more immediate and important goal for Woods, who is making his first PGA Tour start in a year and playing just his second event in that time frame.
"I was grinding my way around the golf course today,'' said Woods, who is tied for 65th. "I didn't quite hit it as good as I would like to. I fought hard. I was trying to post a number, which I was able to do today. It was tough.''
Palmer finished eagle-birdie on the North Course for a 5-under 67. Jon Rahm is one shot behind, poised to reach No. 1 in the world. The defending champion birdied two of his last three holes on the North for a 66.
Woods will begin Saturday's third round off the 10th tee at 1:10 p.m. ET and is paired with Brandt Snedeker and Sung Kang. Palmer, Rahm and Luke List will tee off at 1:40 p.m. ET off the first tee.
Woods fought his driver all day -- he hit just three fairways, including just one over his final nine holes -- and put himself in a big hole early when he hooked his tee shot at the par-4 13th (his fourth hole) into a Torrey Pines canyon, leading to a double-bogey.
That put the pressure on Woods, as he was at least 3 off the cut line and not offering much hope he could get it going. He settled down and hit a couple of fairways, but couldn't get approach shots close enough to make birdies.
It wasn't until No. 1 -- his 10th hole -- that he holed a 40-footer for his first birdie of the day and things began to turn. He made several good par saves -- he got up and down from off the green seven of nine times -- and then added birdies at the fifth, seventh and ninth holes.
The last became imperative after he made his lone bogey on the back side, when his tee shot on the par-3 eighth came up short. Woods hit the chip too hard, and it skidded to the back of the green, and he two-putted for bogey.
That meant a birdie at the last was necessary. After missing another fairway -- this one to the right -- Woods nailed an iron from 216 yards that stopped some 90 feet from the cup. He rolled his eagle putt to within inches and tapped in for the birdie he needed.
"It was a grind, I fought hard,'' Woods said. "Typical, you know, just me going out there and fighting for whatever I can get.''
Read more here : http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id...rdies-final-hole-make-first-pga-tour-cut-2015
Woods was obviously pleased after he rallied over his final nine holes Friday to make the 36-hole cut -- on the number -- at the Farmers Insurance Open.
A seven-time winner of the tournament, Woods made four birdies on the front side of the North Course at Torrey Pines (his final nine), including a two-putt birdie from 90 feet on his last hole.
The 1-under-par 71 put him at 1-under 143 for the tournament and 10 strokes behind leader Ryan Palmer. But playing the weekend was a more immediate and important goal for Woods, who is making his first PGA Tour start in a year and playing just his second event in that time frame.
"I was grinding my way around the golf course today,'' said Woods, who is tied for 65th. "I didn't quite hit it as good as I would like to. I fought hard. I was trying to post a number, which I was able to do today. It was tough.''
Palmer finished eagle-birdie on the North Course for a 5-under 67. Jon Rahm is one shot behind, poised to reach No. 1 in the world. The defending champion birdied two of his last three holes on the North for a 66.
Woods will begin Saturday's third round off the 10th tee at 1:10 p.m. ET and is paired with Brandt Snedeker and Sung Kang. Palmer, Rahm and Luke List will tee off at 1:40 p.m. ET off the first tee.
Woods fought his driver all day -- he hit just three fairways, including just one over his final nine holes -- and put himself in a big hole early when he hooked his tee shot at the par-4 13th (his fourth hole) into a Torrey Pines canyon, leading to a double-bogey.
That put the pressure on Woods, as he was at least 3 off the cut line and not offering much hope he could get it going. He settled down and hit a couple of fairways, but couldn't get approach shots close enough to make birdies.
It wasn't until No. 1 -- his 10th hole -- that he holed a 40-footer for his first birdie of the day and things began to turn. He made several good par saves -- he got up and down from off the green seven of nine times -- and then added birdies at the fifth, seventh and ninth holes.
The last became imperative after he made his lone bogey on the back side, when his tee shot on the par-3 eighth came up short. Woods hit the chip too hard, and it skidded to the back of the green, and he two-putted for bogey.
That meant a birdie at the last was necessary. After missing another fairway -- this one to the right -- Woods nailed an iron from 216 yards that stopped some 90 feet from the cup. He rolled his eagle putt to within inches and tapped in for the birdie he needed.
"It was a grind, I fought hard,'' Woods said. "Typical, you know, just me going out there and fighting for whatever I can get.''
Read more here : http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id...rdies-final-hole-make-first-pga-tour-cut-2015
