Right when it looked as though Woods was slowly making some semblance of progress, he posted an 85 on Saturday at the Memorial for the worst score of his career. It was three shots higher than the 82 he shot in the second round of the Phoenix Open in January, which led to him taking a two-month break from competition until he could get his game in order.
Woods ended his front nine with back-to-back double-bogeys for a 42. Needing a par on the 18th hole to avoid his worst score, he hooked his tee shot into the water, flubbed two chips from short of the green and took a quadruple-bogey 8.
It was his third round in the 80s as a pro.
Woods, who had to make a 6-foot par putt on the final hole Friday just to make the cut, declined interview requests, walking out the door to sign a few autographs. About 20 minutes later, his coach and caddie were sitting at a curb waiting for a van to come by to get them.
“I’m not only surprised, I feel very bad for him,” tournament host Jack Nicklaus said. “He’s struggled health-wise. He struggled with his short game earlier in the year. He feels like he’s coming back and then he does this. I don’t have an answer for it, an explanation.
“I’m sure that he probably doesn’t, either.”
The broader question is where this leaves him with a full summer of majors ahead.
Woods showed remarkable improvement when he returned from his break at the Masters with a tie for 17th, though he was never seriously in contention. And while he had to make putts on his final hole just to survive the cut in his last two tournaments, it still was the first time in more than a year that he made the cut in three straight starts.
And now this.
Worse than the score was that Woods was rarely in position to make birdie he had only one in his round of 85.
On Saturday, he missed three putts from the 5-foot range on the front nine alone. And in the end, all that mattered was how big the number was going to be.
And it was big.
Woods had only one round in the 80s over the first 14 years of his PGA Tour career the 81 at Muirfield when he was caught in a Saturday gale at the British Open. He now has two scores in the 80s in his last 12 rounds.
It spoiled a big day for Zac Blair, the baby-faced rookie from Utah who was so fired up about his first pairing with Woods that his father flew in overnight to watch. Dad is James Blair, who played on the PGA Tour in 1984 and now is a golf director in Ogden.
The elder Blair played the PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2000, and 10-year-old Zac came along. All he cared about was getting Woods’ autograph, which he did.
Blair was standing on the first tee as Woods was finishing up on the putting green, and the kid smiled and stuck out his hand to greet his idol. Then he hit driver down the opening fairway Woods hit 3-wood right of the bunkers and played a nice round of 70.
“It was obviously still great to play with him,” Blair said. “He’s one of the best players to ever play. It was nice to meet him. I enjoyed playing well. It would have been nice to see him play a little bit better, but he’s working through some things. He’ll get back playing good.”
Even as Woods was headed toward the worst score of his career, Blair said he was “super nice, super friendly, was always willing to talk.”
After the round, Blair posted a note to Woods on Twitter — “Nice to meet you. I’m sure we will tee it up again!” He ended with the hashtag “goat” greatest of all time.
Woods was at his absolute best when Blair was a 10-year-old kid at the Valhalla clubhouse trying to get his autograph. Woods went on to win that PGA in a playoff on his way to becoming the only player to sweep the four professional majors.
Woods hasn’t won a major since his 14th at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open. He hasn’t won a tournament in his last 20 events dating to August 2013.
The road back looks longer than ever.
Turns pro after an outstanding amateur career, named PGA Rookie of the Year.
Becomes youngest-ever to win Augusta Masters, aged 21.
Takes the world number one spot for the first time.
Wins U.S. Open by a record 15 strokes, wins British Open by 8 strokes to become fifth player ever to complete career Grand Slam.
Wins his second Masters title, becomes first golfer ever to be simultaneous reigning champion of all four majors.
Wins thirds Masters.
Becomes youngest player to win seven majors with U.S. Open victory.
Is displaced as World no.1 by Vijay Singh after record run of 264 weeks on top.
Wins his fourth Masters title, defeating Chris DiMarco in a playoff. Goes on to win his second British Open and equals Jack Nicklaus’s record of winning all four majors at least twice.
Loses his father, guiding force Earl Woods (74)
Wins his third British Open and 11th major.
Undergoes knee surgery.
Wins U.S. Open for his 14th (and last to date) major at Torrey Pines, defeating Rocco Mediate in sudden death playoff. Takes rest of the season off to rehabilitate knee.
Nine months after returning from surgery, crashes his car into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home, admits marital infidelity, takes "indefinite break from professional golf" to get his life back together.
Finishes 4th at the Masters, as his ranking begins to decline amid injury woes.
Back in form, Woods wins his eighth Arnold Palmer Invitational, regains world no.1 spot.
Injures back during Honda Classic, skips the Masters for the first time due to surgery.
Loses world no.1 rank to Adam Scott.
Pulls out mid-round from Torrey Pines, takes “indefinite break” from professional golf till his game is sorted out.
On return, finishes tied 17th at the 2015 Masters. Allegedly broke his wrist during the final round and physically popped the bone back into place till the game.