NASSAU (Bahamas) – Tiger Woods threw clumps of grass into the air at the eighth tee. He did it not once, twice, or even three times, as he attempted to calculate the wind and determine the club to use and distance to carry on the par 3 hole. He lost concentration for a brief moment. This was not unusual for him, but the problem became more frequent as the round progressed.
He said, “I didn’t commit myself to what I felt and did.”
Woods’s game was a little rusty on Thursday. Woods made four birdies but also carded five double bogeys, and a total of 3-over-75 at Albany Club for the Hero World Challenge’s opening round. It was still a win for him to be playing competitive golf again after undergoing surgery on his right subtalar in April to fuse the joint.
He said, “You just take it for granted when you play all the time.” “OK, wind is coming, you move the ball back. You just lean on it a bit. Just flight it down, add a few yards. Instead of reacting, I thought about it. As I was thinking, should I do it or not, I pulled the trigger. I shouldn’t have pulled the trigger. You made a bad shot. I did it over and over again. It was my lack of commitment. I have to do it better… I now know what I need mentally to do better. “I think I was OK physically, but mentally I was rusty. I made many mistakes in my mind that I normally don’t.”
Woods demonstrated that he has plenty of power by ripping out six drives longer than 300 yards. Woods said he is less mobile after his injuries, and his hips move forward before his club reaches the top. This limits how far his club can go back. Woods is able to generate more power by using a coil that’s more efficient and smoother. He hit six out of thirteen fairways, ten greens and 30 putts. The best was a 48 foot bomb for a birdie on No. 11.
We’ve seen it before. @TigerWoods couldn’t help but smile following a long birdie. pic.twitter.com/dX2aNbdQHh
— PGA TOUR 30 November 2023
He made a wild shot at No. He hit a wild drive at No. This led to a double-bogey, and he compounded his error with bogeys on No. 16 and 17. The 16th and 17th holes were bogeys. Woods’ performance in the 20-man field was a subject of great interest.
Brian Harman, a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs who will be playing in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, said: “It looks like he can suit up for the Dawgs this weekend.” This was a reference to Woods’ ripped physique. “He’s a great athlete.” “I hope he feels well, I wish he was moving well, and I wish he could play a bit more.”
Woods stated that he was sore after the round. Woods said he felt pain “everywhere” and, when asked to specify where it was most painful, he replied, “Legs, my back, and my neck.”
Fred Couples said that Christmas has come early if you have three more days of Tiger. He’ll be paired up with Rickie at 11:02 am on Friday. ET. Four more things you need to know about the Hero World Challenge’s first round.
Hero Tee times on Friday
