Noticeably limping with ice-cold putter, Tiger Woods posts worst-ever score at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Perhaps it was the biting cold.

The intense wind.

The expected fatigue.

Or, simply, a lack of concentration.

Whatever the reason, Tiger Woods did something in Saturday’s third round that he’d never done before in all of his years playing the Masters.

He used his putter four times on a green.

In a week where Woods has been the main focus of remarkable images – just arriving at Augusta National, getting to the first tee on Thursday, firing a 71 in the first round, to list a few – all was not picture perfect in the third round.

For example, his work on the treacherous putting surface of the fifth hole in Saturday’s third round of the 86^th Masters. The day before, Woods, after a stellar comeback in the second round after his worst start in his Masters history, said he needed to get within six shots of the lead come Sunday’s back nine to have a chance to win his sixth green jacket.

He was still thinking “W” despite his throbbing right leg, ankle and foot that are being held together by plates, screws and rods following his high-speed, single-car accident in Los Angeles last February that nearly led to amputation. Still think “W” despite playing in his first official tournament in more than 500 days.

But after opening with a three-putt bogey on the first hole on a day the temperatures never reached 55 and the wind made it feel like 45, his chances to get back into contention ended on the fifth hole.

After a poor approach, he had 62 feet for birdie. Then he had six feet for par. Then three feet for bogey. Then three feet for double.

Four whacks and he was 11 shots behind the leader.

But it was just a snapshot of his horrors that played out for Woods on the greens. In all, one of the greatest putters the game has ever seen, had the four-putt, four three-putt greens, and on two other occasions he was just off the green and used his putter three times.

That’s 22 putts in seven holes.

It was the first time in his professional career that he had more than four three-putts or worse in a round. At the end, he put his signature to a 6-over-par 78, his worst score in 93 rounds at Augusta National. After posting 71-74-78, he was 7 over and stands 16 shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.

“I mean, it’s just like I hit a thousand putts out there on the greens today,” Woods said. “Obviously it’s affected the score. You take those away and I have normal two-putts, I made even-par for the day. I did what I needed to do ball striking-wise, but I did absolutely the exact opposite on the greens.

“I just could not get a feel for getting comfortable with the ball. Posture, feel, my right hand, my release, I just couldn’t find it. Trying different things, trying to find it, trying to get something, taking practice strokes and just trying to feel the swing and the putter head, trying to get anything, and nothing seemed to work.

“Even as many putts as I had, you’d think I’d have figured it out somewhere along the line, but it just didn’t happen.”

Tiger Woods prepares to tee off on the fourth hole during the third round of The Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Woods walked with a noticeable limp throughout the round. His iron play, especially with the short irons, wasn’t spot on. Woods has often said the colder the weather, the worse for his fused back, for the chilly conditions make it harder for him to get his back loose.

“It’s not as limber and as loose as it normally is, that’s for sure,” Woods said. “Today it’s just been blustery all day. You add in the temperature difference, it was cold starting out. The ball wasn’t going very far. I thought it was tough. Some of the other guys may not say that, but for me I had a tough time. I felt like I didn’t really hit it that bad, but I had four three-putts and a four-putt.”

Now Woods will have to summon all his might to get through the final round. At least it will be warmer – the high will reach into the 70s. But his right leg, ankle and foot will be sore and there will be little bounce in his step as his pursuit for a 16^th major has ended. And he will be paired with Jon Rahm, who defeated Woods in singles action in the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris.

So there will be no quit in his heart.

“I fight each and every day,” he said. “Each and every day is a challenge. Each and every day presents its own different challenges for all of us.

“I wake up and start the fight all over again.”