It wasn’t his long lost “A” game. But Sunday at the Australian Open was serious progress in the comeback of the golfer previously known as Tiger Woods. After he chipped in for an eagle 3 at the 14th hole and drew within a shot of the lead, it felt like a vintage final-round charge from the 14-time major champion.
Admittedly it wasn’t Phil Mickelson in the lead. It was a much less-heralded lefty, Greg Chalmers. It wasn’t lengthy Augusta National. It was the 6,938-yard Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. And it wasn’t a major or anything close.
But it was Woods on his way to third place, his best finish since he backed into a fire hydrant two years ago and short-circuited his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ hallowed record of 18 majors in “America’s Funniest Home Videos” fashion.
Don’t sneeze at Woods’ 11-under-par score. It was the best among the 12 players in the field who will travel to Melbourne for this week’s Presidents Cup. The international team competition takes on added significance as Woods tries to sustain his upward trend.
On Sunday, Woods flashed a brilliant iron game and his putting touch of old as he whittled a six-stroke deficit to one in a span of 12 holes. On the 17th hole, Woods had a chance to tie for the lead, reaching the green at the par-5 with a driver and an iron. But his 20-footer for birdie slid by.
“It could have been a really low round,” Woods told reporters after his 67. “It’s nice to be competitive again.”
Now if he could only figure out his driver. Woods might have won if it weren’t for bogeys on two easy holes — the par-5 11th and the 310-yard, par-4 13th. On both, Woods hit tee shots in the general direction of Canberra.
While playing partner Aaron Baddeley reached the 13th green with his drive, Woods pushed his into a billabong and then needed a chip and a putt to save bogey on a hole that Chalmers birdied.
“I should have laid up,” Woods said. “Unfortunately, I made a wrong decision.”
Woods admitting to a mistake in course management?
His game may be coming back, but this is definitely not the Tiger of old.
– Kevin Dunleavy
