A Look At Tiger's Farmers Insurance Open (he may have missed the cut)
At this point last year, Tiger was still recovering from having undergone 2 back surgeries in as many months; he was saying he “hoped” to play again. His golf future was unclear. A return, of any kind, was uncertain.
Fast-forward one year and Tiger has just completed his first start of 2017 and his first official Tour start since August 2015. Here’s how it went and what I think.
Thursday
Tiger started on the South Course, the significantly tougher of the two.
Round 1 scoring averages at Torrey Pines.
South: 73.6 (Hadwin’s 66 was +7.6 better than average)
North: 70.8 (Rose’s 65 was +5.8)— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) January 27, 2017
After starting with a bogey, his short-game snaked him through the front-nine at 1-over despite hitting it like complete dogshit.
Oh yes, here’s a ball flight I got folks pic.twitter.com/4my61Gj4Jf — Riggsy (@RiggsBarstool) January 26, 2017
He then made the turn and went birdie-birdie and boom, we were 1-under. Back in the mix. Surviving and conquering a tough track. He said after that at this point he was thinking 3 or 4-under…
Back-to-back birdies.
Tiger Woods is in red figures. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/fxinxWengK
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 26, 2017
…instead we went the other direction. HARD the other direction.
Ultimately closed with this birdie and a 76. Not great.
Front 9: 8 pars Back 9: 1 par Tiger Woods finished with a smile, though. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/QDFhv9bNbL — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 27, 2017
Quite frankly I felt much, much better about his game following the Hero World Challenge in December than I did yesterday. Yes the Bahamas was much easier (wide open fairways), but he hit it with control. He made plenty of birdies.
Thursday was not that. He was aiming left, hitting it right, and only managed to find 4 fairways (only 6 players found fewer). That’s not good. We were onto Friday.
Intermission note: These two have seen some things.
Friday
Teed off needing about a 68 to play the weekend. And started strong.
Yesterday, Tiger’s first birdie came at his 10th hole.
Today, his first birdie came at his 1st hole. pic.twitter.com/jCB2on5IRr
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 27, 2017
But then his front was a pretty grueling snoozefest from there. It really was. Us Tiger fanboys didn’t sign up for these kinda cards.
On his second nine, I thought Tiger hit it much better. He had a handful of good looks and, although he couldn’t get anything to drop, it felt better. It felt encouraging. It felt like something to build on.
So he finished 4-over, 12 shots behind the leaders. Not great. The good news? He’s healthy! A lot of vicious hacks out of the rough, and not a lot (zero) of winces, grabbings of the back, or getting escorted off of the premises. FANTASTIC news.
He’s playing 3 of the next 4 weeks so buy a shirt.
Make Sundays Great Again https://t.co/EFbaDl66Jk pic.twitter.com/x0KlC6fQPS
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 25, 2017
And fuck the haters.
@welks303 please print and send me bonus check. cc @RiggsBarstool @BarstoolTrent pic.twitter.com/8QnGVIBqTC
— All Biz (@allbusinesspete) January 27, 2017
(might have to get this shirt up in the store)
Tiger 2017 grand slam. Odds just got a lot more enticing. Book it.