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PGA Championship 2022: Tough day for Tiger Woods – withdrawal possible

Tiger Woods had a tough day at the PGA Championship 2022. (Credit: Getty Images)

Tiger Woods experiences a debacle on the third day of the PGA Championship 2022. The 46-year-old was unable to get his game under control. He too often left approaches far too short, and on the front nine alone his ball went bad twice. On top of that, Woods played one too flat from the sand on the nine and hammered it into the edge of the bunker – next drop, in this case penalty-free.

Full Leaderboard PGA Championship 2022

Things didn’t get any better on the back nine. With three bogeys in a row, Woods made his way back towards the clubhouse. There was no sign of the Woods who had fought his way into the cut on Friday with a strong performance. With only 15 degrees, rain and wind, the 15-time major winner was visibly suffering. The cold is a major problem for Woods, who has undergone several operations. His right leg, which was almost completely shattered in his car accident a year ago, was visibly dragging. Time and again he used his driver or irons on the fairway as a walking aid. Already at the US Masters, Woods slumped after two strong first rounds at the weekend in much cooler weather.

At least Woods’ game stabilised on the second half of the back nine and he escaped the ignominy of playing an 80 by one stroke. Nevertheless, the 79 catapulted him to penultimate place. Only Sepp Straka of Austria fared worse. Following the round, Woods said he would now focus on his recovery. “We’ll work on that and then we’ll see.” On the final day of the 2022 PGA Championship, he would have to take to the course in one of the first groups due to his overall score of twelve over par. As he needs a lot of time for preparation and follow-up due to his physical condition, it is open whether he will play the final round.

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PGA Championship 2022: Aaron Wise hit in the head by golf ball

Heavy hit on Aaron Wise in round 2 of the 2022 PGA Championship (Photo: Getty).
Heavy hit on Aaron Wise in round 2 of the 2022 PGA Championship (Photo: Getty).

Shots are being fired sharply at the PGA Championship 2022, but a dangerous situation arose in Round 2. On the fairway of the seventh hole, Aaron Wise was hit in the head by Cameron Smith’s tee shot from the adjacent 2nd hole just as he was identifying his ball.

Joel Dahmen, Aaron Wise’s playing partner, said after the round: “Thankfully, he’s fine,” Dahmen said. “It was a glancing blow, but the ball took off another 40 or 50 yards down the fairway. It ended up in the rough. You could hear it. All the spectators heard it. It was loud.”

Aaron Wise was fine under the circumstances, able to finish the round normally and only had to recover briefly from the scare. A cold water bottle was immediately used to cool the area on his head. Wise finished the round and is safely in the cut after two days one over par.

2022 PGA Championship: Leaderboard

“Thankfully he’s fine”

“I had a great up and down on seven and eight,” Wise said. “You know, obviously, there’s a lot of adrenaline in the body after something like that happens. I was just trying to calm myself down and get back to being somewhat normal for the last few holes.”

After the round, Aaron Wise went to the medical centre on the course. After a 20-minute assessment, he was released, including an ice pack for his head. According to Dahmen, Cameron Smith is not to blame for the incident: “It was so far away, and there’s so many people and the wind is blowing,” Dahmen said. “You’re not going to be able to hear it if anyone says ‘fore.’ I don’t fault Cam for that at all. One hundred people could have yelled ‘fore’ and you wouldn’t hear it.”

PGA Championship 2022: Wise in for the weekend

Wise had shot a 72 (+2) after his opening round of 69 on Friday, leaving the American in the tournament’s top 30 at one-over-par. “Aaron is doing well and in good spirits after being hit today,” his management team said in a statement. “We’ll be monitoring his condition overnight but he looks forward to competing tomorrow.” Wise will therefore continue to compete in the upcoming rounds of the 2022 PGA Championship despite the incident.

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PGA Championship 2022: Rory McIlroy about his fantastic opening roud

Rory McIlroy about his first round at the PGA Championship 2022. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy about his first round at the PGA Championship 2022. (Photo: Getty)

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills Country Club. Joined by Rory McIlroy, who fashioned a 5-under par 65 today. Rory, that’s the quick start you’ve been looking for, yes or no?

RORY MCILROY: Yes or no? No, no, I’d rather shoot 74 and try to make the cut tomorrow. (Laughter.)

Yeah, look, it was a great start to the tournament. I’ve been playing well coming in here. I’ve been carrying some good form. Obviously that took a lot from that last round at Augusta, played well up in D.C. at the Wells Fargo there, and played good in the practice rounds earlier this week.

I think when your game is feeling like that, it’s just a matter of going out there and really sticking to your game plan, executing as well as you possibly can, and just sort of staying in your own little world. I did that really well today. It was nice to get off to that good start and sorta keep it going.

I feel like this course, it lets you be pretty aggressive off the tee if you want to be, so I hit quite a lot of drivers out there and took advantage of my length and finished that off with some nice iron play and some nice putting.

Q. What were you happiest with, and if there was disappointment, what were you most disappointed with?

RORY MCILROY: I think just happy with when you get off to a good start like that, sometimes you can maybe start to be a little careful or start to give yourself a little more margin for error, but I stuck to my game plan.

I stayed aggressive, hit that driver up 4, took an aggressive line on 5. Yeah, I stuck to what I was trying to do out there, which I was pleased with.

Then if anything obviously the two bogeys on the par-3s on the front nine, but it’s very easy to make bogeys out here. You get yourself just a little bit out of position, you catch a little bit of grain around the green, it’s tricky.

I didn’t encounter too many of those tricky scenarios today, but it can certainly be tricky. You get yourself out of position here, you just try to make a 4 or a par and run to the next.

Q. I was going to ask you about that line on 5 you took. Why did you decide to aim at that tree and hit a cut instead of working a draw or something? What’s the thinking?

RORY MCILROY: I snap hooked one on to the driving range yesterday, so at least I knew I wasn’t going to do that. That was basically it. And the wind was off the left. If anything I’m a little more comfortable hitting the driver left to right at the minute. I feel like my body works a little better, I can be more aggressive with my body; body doesn’t stop and arms go.

Some of those right-to-left winds today off the tee it was nice because I could just aim the driver up the middle of the fairway, hit like a nice hold against the wind.

But yeah, that was the reason. It wasn’t all to do with the shot yesterday, but just fits my eye a little better.

Q. You’ve talked about how it can be challenging playing with Tiger Woods or in these super groups. Is there an opposite to that where once you’re playing well you get more in the zone, or what’s the effect out there?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think the nice thing around — like for example, it’s different playing with him here than it is say at East Lake, because East Lake feels so claustrophobic, the crowds are so much more on top of you.

Here it’s big wide corridors. I feel like there’s a lot of room, so it doesn’t feel as oppressive as some other venues. It’s sort of nice that — I was looking forward to the draw anyway. It’s always a cool group to be a part of.

But I think this golf course just with how it’s been opened up, it doesn’t feel quite as boisterous as it usually does.

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PGA Championship 2022: Tiger Woods about his frustrating start

Tiger Woods about his first round at the PGA Championship 2022 (Photo: Getty)
Tiger Woods about his first round at the PGA Championship 2022 (Photo: Getty)

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills. We’re joined by Tiger Woods who opened with a 4-over par 74 today. Looked like a struggle out there. Did you hold it together? It’s not that bad a score.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I did not hit a lot of good iron shots. I drove it well, but my iron shots were not very good. I didn’t get the ball very close. I got off to a great start and didn’t keep it going. I really didn’t give myself any looks for birdie. I was struggling trying to get the ball on the green, and I missed quite a few iron shots both ways. It was a frustrating day.

Q. It looked like you tweaked something, looked like something was bothering you, and also, bunker shots, the ball came out hot —

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, yeah. All the bunker shots sort of came out hot. The sand is a lot faster than I thought it would be. Kind of been that way all week, especially if you get up in the areas where it’s not raked. I had a couple of those balls where it was in those areas. It’s like, is there a lot of sand here, is there not, how should I play it, and when you dig in with your feet you’re not in those areas where it’s raked. I feel like sometimes the sand — I’m guessing, and I guessed wrong.

Yeah, my leg is not feeling as good as I would like it to be. We’ll start the recovery process and get after it tomorrow.

Q. There were a few instances when you went iron off the tee when Rory and Jordan both hit driver. Was that always the strategy and when you see them do that, does it make you think, I’m pretty far back here?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it wouldn’t have been so far back if I would have hit the iron shot solid and put the ball in the fairway. I was playing to my spots, and those guys obviously have a different game plan. It’s just different.

The game is played very differently now, and it’s very aggressive. We were talking about it today, Joey and I, the days of the Lee Janzens and the Scott Simpsons and the Faldos of the world, playing that kind of golf is gone. You go out there and hit driver a lot, and if you have a hot week, you have a hot week and you’re up there.

The game is just different. It’s much more aggressive now, and I know that. But I was playing to my spots. If I would have hit the ball solidly on those two holes and put the ball in the fairway, I would have been fine. I would have had 9-iron, 8-iron in there. That’s not a big deal. But I didn’t do that. I put the ball in the rough over there on 4 and hit the tree on 9 and ended up hitting a 4-iron in there.

Q. When your leg is bothering you more than normal, how does it impact your swing? What does it do that you are not able to do the way you’d like?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I just can’t load it. Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, and walking hurts, and twisting hurts. It’s just golf. I don’t play that, if I don’t do that, then I’m all right.

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2022 PGA Championship without Bryson DeChambeau

With a thickly bandaged wrist: Bryson DeChambeau in preparation for the 2022 PGA Championship. (Photo: Getty)

Phil Mickelson’s cancellation was followed by another cancellation shortly before the start of the major: at around 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Bryson DeChambeau announced in Tulsa that he would not be taking part in the 2022 PGA Championship. The second major of the year comes too soon for the 28-year-old after months of pain that was eventually followed by surgery. Although DeChambeau flew to Tulsa this week to the Southern Hills Country Club to be able to prepare himself optimally for a possible participation, he has to admit to himself shortly before the start of the tournament that he is not yet fit enough again.

His left wrist prevents him from playing in the PGA Championship 2022

Bryson DeChambeau underwent surgery on his left hand about five weeks ago. A fall while playing table tennis damaged a bone in his wrist. At first DeChambeau played over the injury, but ultimately could not avoid surgery. Eight weeks of regeneration were initially recommended by the doctors. After DeChambeau had already trained one-handed shortly after the operation, he tried to get back to his usual game as quickly as possible. After four weeks, he already achieved an impressive speed and distance with his driver, as he showed on Twitter.

He finally made his way to Southern Hills Country Club on May 16 to test his body on the course that will host the 2022 PGA Championship.

“I want to be 100% coming back”

After intense days of practice, he played nine holes on each of the last two days before the start of the major. The realization he gained was disappointing: “I just realized it wasn’t going to be the right decision for me to play this week – it was going to be a stretch.” He said he was only 70 percent fit and didn’t want to compete at this level. “I want to give somebody else a chance that’s fully prepared and ready to go out here. Feeling fatigued and tired, four days is a big stretch for me right now”, DeChambeau admits with a heavy heart.

The replacement for Bryson DeChambeau at the PGA Championship 2022 will be Denny McCarthy. The latter is confident despite his impromptu entry, “I had a feeling he was going to pull out. I was ready either way.”

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Tiger Woods fuels hopes for participation in the 2022 PGA Championship

Tiger Woods together with the head pro of the Southern Hills Country Club on a practice round before the PGA Championship 2022. (Photo: Twitter/@PGAChampionship & @okgolf2)
Tiger Woods together with the head pro of the Southern Hills Country Club on a practice round before the PGA Championship 2022. (Photo: Twitter/@PGAChampionship & @okgolf2)

It’s reminiscent of the scenes that sent the golf world into hysterics a couple of weeks ago: a plane being tracked and a practice round that raised hopes of a appearance in a major. Only this time the surprise is not quite so great, given the feat Tiger Woods had achieved at the US Masters in 2022. Now the superstar was out on a practice round at Southern Hills Country Club to gauge the strain for the 2022 PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods on a practice round at Southern Hills Country Club

On Thursday, the 15-time major winner’s private jet touched down at the airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after which Tiger Woods played a practice round at Southern Hills, where the second major of the year will be played in about three weeks. Woods completed the 18 holes alongside Cary Cozby, the golf club’s head pro, reports the Golf Channel, and was spotted by numerous cameras; his putting drills were even filmed from a helicopter. According to a “Golf Channel” reporter, Cozby said that “Tiger had great speed with swing and was engaged regarding the lines to take with shots and the differences in green complexes since winning there in 2007.”

On his round, the 46-year-old was spotted wearing shorts that exposed a view of his damaged right leg, which is encased in a compression sleeve. On his feet, Woods is wearing the Footjoy shoes that first made his participation in the prestigious major at hilly Augusta National possible.

Immediately after the tournament, the five-time Masters winner announced that he would participate in the second Major of the year if possible and set his sights on the 150th Open Championship. Hall-of-Famer sources now say that after his practice round, Woods intends to play the 2022 PGA Championship in May, provided there are no further setbacks. This is reported by Golf Digest, which goes on to say that they will wait to see the body’s reactions to the increasing strain in the coming weeks before making a final decision on participation.

PGA Championship 2022 in Oklahoma

The PGA Championship 2022 will be held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa from 19 to 22 May. Originally, the second major of the year was to be held at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, but after the riots at the beginning of 2021 with the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters, the former US president’s club was stripped of its hosting status.

Tiger Woods has already played two major tournaments at Southern Hills; in 2007 he won the PGA Championship there for the fourth and for the moment last time. In 2019, however, the course was thoroughly renovated and therefore presents a new challenge this year. It was only recently announced that the golf legend is on the list of participants for the most important tournament of the PGA of America, as is defending champion Phil Mickelson. With the practice round, participation becomes more and more likely.

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US Masters 2022: Scheffler, McIlroy, Woods – The records and statistics of the Major

The stats for the US Masters 2022 with Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods. (Photo: Getty)
The stats for the US Masters 2022 with Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods. (Photo: Getty)

At the US Masters 2022, Scottie Scheffler sets several records with his first major victory. Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and others should not be missing from this list of records set or tied at the prestigious major.

Scottie Scheffler in outstanding form

Scottie Scheffler unstoppable! In recent weeks, hardly any professional on the PGA Tour could stand a chance against the Texan. In mid-February, the 25-year-old won for the first time since his rise on Tour in 2020 at the Phoenix Open. Fifty-seven days have passed since then and three more trophies have gone into the world number one’s trophy cabinet. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the WGC-Dell Match Play and now his first major with the 2022 US Masters. No one before him has managed the first four tournament wins in such a short span of time! The last time someone won four tournaments in six starts was Jason Day in 2015.

Four wins in one season is already a great achievement, but to win at least one Major and one WGC event highlights the exceptional form of Scottie Scheffler. There’s only one guy who’s done that, too. You will guess: Tiger Woods. The superstar, who made his comeback at the US Masters in 2022 after a serious car accident, was even able to achieve these results a total of eight (!) times in two periods of four seasons in a row – incredible! For the sake of completeness, however, it should be mentioned that greats such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus certainly had seasons with four tournament victories including majors, but the WGC events did not yet exist at that time (introduction in 1999).

Scheffler is also the sixth player to win the Major at Augusta National as the world number one. In doing so, the American does it like Ian Woosnam, who also won the US Masters in his first start as the world’s No. 1 golfer.

After an outstanding Friday, Scheffler had built a five-stroke lead in difficult conditions. The shared largest halfway lead at the Masters.

With his fourth victory, Scheffler now not only clearly leads the world ranking and the FedExCup, he also obviously cashed in a lot of prize money. In the meantime, the professional has earned over ten million US dollars with his results this season alone. This already puts him in sixth place in the ranking of prize money earned in a PGA Tour season. By the way, Jordan Spieth leads this list with just over twelve million dollars earned in his fabulous 2014/15 season with two major victories (Masters & Open) and Tour Championship (bonus not included). Scheffler, however, still has half the season and three majors to play and will probably climb up a few places in this ranking.

US Masters 2022: Rory McIlroy ties record

But enough about the Masters winner, others also set records at this major. Rory McIlroy ran hot on the final day, working his magic with flight partner Collin Morikawa at Augusta National. McIlroy’s closing 64, the only bogey-free round of the entire tournament, set the record for the best closing round at the Masters; in fact, it was the second-best round ever at one of the four majors for the Northern Irishman. It was a pity for the four-time major winner that he was already too far away from Scheffler before the final day and it was again nothing with the career Grand Slam for McIlroy.

On the final day, it was a duel between two players in good form with the better end for Scheffler. But Cameron Smith also has two victories this season (including the Players Championship) under his belt and has been playing incredibly consistent golf lately. However, the triple bogey at the 12th sank any hopes of winning the Masters at Rae’s Creek, and that after Smith had fought his way back in with a birdie at the hardest hole (11th). The three-stroke loss was the worst score on a hole in almost ten months for the Australian.

Previously, the Players Champion had carded a 68 in Round 1, although he conceded double stroke losses on holes 1 and 18. Only Ricky Fowler played a round of 68 or better including two double bogeys at the Masters.

Tiger Woods keeps series alive

It’s not a record yet, but Tiger Woods kept his streak of made cuts alive and could set a record next year. Despite his extreme suffering since his serious accident 14 months ago, the 46-year-old Hall-of-Famer made the cut at the 2022 US Masters for the 22nd time in a row.

On the weekend itself, the 15-time major winner was clearly feeling the strain and the strain, twice coming back into the clubhouse with 78 strokes. He had never needed so many in 92 rounds before to master Augusta National.

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US Masters 2022: Million dollar prize – this is how much money is at stake in Augusta

The winner of the 2022 US Masters will receive just over two million dollars in prize money. (Photos: Getty)

The official prize money for the US Masters 2022 was raised to 15 million dollars. In 2021, the prize money totaled $11.5 million. The raise is making the Masters one of the top tournaments on the tour, also financially, and the second best endowed tournament in golf behind the Players Championship ($20 million). The US Open and the PGA Championship both payed $12 million in 2021. According to reports, the organizers and sponsors even wanted to raise the prize money a little this year to underline the importance of the tournament.

One thing is for sure, whoever makes the cut at Augusta National can already look forward to a tidy handout in any case. Since 2019, the winner has received just over two million dollars, 600 FedEx Cup points and 100 points for the world rankings. In addition, a win at Augusta secures a PGA Tour card for five years, lifetime playing rights at the US Masters, and a starting spot at all majors for the next five years.

US Masters 2022: Smaller field = more money for everyone

Nothing is left to chance when it comes to the distribution of prize money at the US Masters. Instead, a clear scheme is followed that regulates the payout to the individual placings on a percentage basis. According to this scheme, the Masters champion always receives 18% of the total prize money, the runner-up still gets 10%, the third place 6.8%. If two or more players share a place, the prize money is divided among the players, as in any other tournament.

Augusta National: How to play a round of golf at the world’s most exclusive course

One reason why it is still possible to cash in well on the back places at the US Masters 2022 is the significantly smaller starting field compared to the PGA Tour. In terms of the size of the field, the fewest number of players make the cut after 36 holes at the Masters. Only the top 50 players (and stroke ties) make it to the weekend and thus receive a slightly higher share of the total prize money. Even those who miss the cut still receive $10,000, with only amateurs going away empty-handed.

This is how much money the top 50 players receive at the US Masters

Win: Scottie Scheffler, -10, $2,700,000

2: Rory McIlroy, -7, $1,620,000

T-3: Shane Lowry, -5, $870,000

T-3: Cameron Smith, -5, $870,000

5: Collin Morikawa, -4, $600,000

T-6: Will Zalatoris, -3, $521,250

T-6: Corey Conners, -3, $521,250

T-8: Justin Thomas, -1, $450,000

T-8: Sungjae Im, -1, $450,000

T-10: Cameron Champ, E, $395,000

T-10: Charl Schwartzel, E, $395,000

T-12: Dustin Johnson, +1, $330,000

T-12: Danny Willett, +1, $330,000

T-14: Kevin Na, +2, $225,333

T-14: Matt Fitzpatrick, +2, $225,333

T-14: Min Woo Lee, +2, $225,333

T-14: Harry Higgs, +2, $225,333

T-14: Lee Westwood, +2, $225,333

T-14: Talor Gooch, +2, $225,333

T-14: Hideki Matsuyama, +2, $225,333

T-14: Tommy Fleetwood, +2, $225,333

T-14: Jason Kokrak, +2, $225,333

T-23: Robert MacIntyre, +3, $138,000

T-23: Harold Varner III, +3, $138,000

T-23: Sergio Garcia, +3, $138,000

T-23: J.J. Spaun, +3, $138,000

T-27: Jon Rahm, +4, $111,000

T-27: Seamus Power, +4, $111,000

T-27: Viktor Hovland, +4, $111,000

T-30: Russell Henley, +5, $93,150

T-30: Sepp Straka, +5, $93,150

T-30: Hudson Swafford, +5, $93,150

T-30: Lucas Glover, +5, $93,150

T-30: Marc Leishman, +5, $93,150

T-35: Joaquin Niemann, +6, $75,562.50

T-35: Tony Finau, +6, $75,562.50

T-35: Patrick Reed, +6, $75,562.50

T-35: Webb Simpson, +6, $75,562.50

T-39: Patrick Cantlay, +7, $63,000

T-39: Bubba Watson, +7, $63,000

T-39: Tom Hoge, +7, $63,000

T-39: Si Woo Kim, +7, $63,000

43: Billy Horschel, +8, $55,500

T-44: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, +9, $51,000

T-44: Kevin Kisner, +9, $51,000

46: Cameron Davis, +12, $46,500

47: Tiger Woods, +13, $43,500

T-48: Adam Scott, +14, $40,050

T-48: Max Homa, +14, $40,050

T-50: Mackenzie Hughes, +15, $37,350

T-50: Daniel Berger, +15, $37,350

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US Masters 2022: “I’m thankful. I really am. I truly am.”

Tiger Woods waving towards the crowds after round 4 at the Masters. (Photo: Getty)

After his final round 78 at the 2022 Masters Tiger Woods wasn’t disappointed. Not at all. After returning to the competitive stage after 14 month of recovery he was happy to be competing again. Even though his goal to play for the title was set too high.

Tiger, now that it’s over, why was it worth it to you?

Tiger Woods: Well, this tournament has meant so much to me and my family, this entire tournament. I was explaining it there to Cara that you go back to the year I was born was the year that the first black man played in the Masters in Lee Elder. He was an honorary starter last year. He was there when I won in ’97. 25 years later here I am playing again.

It’s meant a lot to me, and there’s no other place that — well, there’s no other place, no other major that we play in the same venue. St. Andrews is, obviously, near and dear to my heart because it’s the home of golf, and I’ve been able to win a couple of Opens there, but we rotate.

This is different. This is where all the great champions have ever played. They have walked these grounds. Granted, I don’t think they’ve imaged walking back as far as we have, like on 11. I think when Bobby Jones originally designed it, it was supposed to be like a links golf course inland where you go from green to tee. But the game has changed, it’s gotten bigger, and there’s more walk-backs than ever before.

When you reflect back on all the hard work that you’ve put in to get back to this place, what goes through your mind?

Tiger Woods: I don’t think people really understand. The people who are close to me understand. They’ve seen it. Some of the players who are close to me have seen it and have seen some of the pictures and the things that I have had to endure. They appreciate it probably more than anyone else because they know what it takes to do this out here at this level.

It’s one thing to play with my son at a hit-and-giggle, but it’s another thing to play in a major championship. It’s been a tough road, and one that I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to be able to grind through it. A lot of different things could have happened, but 14 months, I’m able to tee it up and play in the Masters.

I realize there are historic and pretty crazy numbers, but under the circumstances, do you consider this week one of the greatest achievements of your career?

Tiger Woods:

Tiger Woods: For not winning an event, yes. Yes, without a doubt. To go from where I was to get to this point, I’ve had an incredible team that has helped me get to this point and incredible support from — as I alluded to in the press conference on Tuesday, the amount of texts and FaceTimes and calls I got from players that are close to me throughout this entire time has meant a lot.

Then to come here on these grounds and have the patrons — I played in a COVID year, and then I didn’t play last year. ’19 was the last time for me that I experienced having the patrons like this, and it’s exciting. It’s inspiring. It’s fun to hear the roars, to hear the hole-in-ones. I think Steward Cink made one the other day. To hear that roar down there at the bottom on 16, just to hear that excitement of what this tournament brings out.

We have just an amazing day today with now the wind is starting to pick up, it’s starting to swirl a little bit. It’s going to get — I think it’s going to get tight, and it’s going to be fun to watch.

How much pain were you in today?

Tiger Woods: Uh-huh.

Now when you look back on this week in your life, how will you describe it?

Tiger Woods: Thankful, as I alluded to. I keep saying it, but I am. I really am. I truly am. Just to get to this point.

Just to be able to play, and not only just to play, but I put up a good first round. I got myself there. I don’t quite have the endurance that I would like to have had, but as of a few weeks ago, didn’t even know if I was going to play in this event.

To go from that to here, we’re excited about the prospects of the future, about training, about getting into that gym and doing some other stuff to get my leg stronger, which we haven’t been able to do because it needed more time to heal. I think it needs a couple more days to heal after this, but we’ll get back after it, and we’ll get into it.

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US Masters 2022: Scottie Scheffler’s flirtation with disaster on course 18

us-masters-2022-golf-Scottie-Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler deep in the woods on 18 at the US Masters 2022 (foto: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler was in cruise control on day three at Augusta at the 2022 US Masters. At any point in the third round, he was at least three strokes ahead, and at times it was as much as seven. But a relaxed Saturday by Masters standards could have ended disastrously for Scheffler on 18. With a four-shot lead, he stood on the tee of the last hole, the narrow wooded fairway of the 18th in front of him. Before teeing off, all sorts of spectators had to be moved to get the shadows out of Scheffler’s view. Perhaps this distraction, this brief moment of reflection in the situation was too long for him, because his following tee shot was one of the worst shots of his day.

US Masters 2022 Leaderboard after round 3

Pictures at US Masters 2022 like Saturday tournament among amateurs

Scheffler’s ball started left toward the tree line. His typical fade curve failed to materialize and the ball disappeared deep into the trees on the left side of the course. Now you would think that at the Masters such a ball would be found immediately. But anxious minutes followed for Scheffler, during which helpers searched for his ball. In the end, fortunately, the ball was found, and the resulting pictures looked like an amateur in Saturday’s tournament. “Fortunately, they found the ball. And then I was just trying to figure out how to get it on the green with my third shot.” Scheffler, scrambling among bushes and branches, looked for a way out of the mess. All day, his round was going relatively smoothly, until that moment. But Scheffler remained deeply relaxed in his inimitable way, as he had throughout the US Masters 2022.

Clever interpretation of the rules help Scheffler

Scheffler’s first idea was to play the ball from there. But the heavy stand and the branches made that impossible. The second idea was the much better one. He declared the ball unplayable and subsequently got a drop two club lengths from the ball no closer to flag. Those two club lengths were enough to drop in an area on the left edge of the lane where he had a free swing. After discussions with the referee, he was allowed, in accordance with the rules, to remove pine needles in the drop area and test the ground for roots. On the drop, the ball rolled out of the designated area twice, and as a result, he was able to place the ball. The rest was a formality for Scheffler, world No. 1 and currently the best player on the planet. Iron 3 from 215 meters just behind the green, and then a relaxed up-and-down to the five. The bogey could be the important piece of the puzzle for Scheffler to win at the end of the fourth day. He enters the final round with a three-stroke lead over Cameron Smith, although it could have been considerably less.