Open Championship 2022: Tiger Woods' bid ended as he misses cut on emotional day on Old Course at St Andrews
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Updated 15/07/2022 at 14:51 GMT
Will we see Tiger Woods again in an Open Championship again at St Andrews? That question is still be answered, but he will not be in action at the Old Course this weekend after missing the cut. The damage was done in his opening round of 78 on Thursday and while he improved on Friday, it was nowhere near good enough to make the cut.
‘A greater impact on the game than any course in history’ - Hole-by-hole guide to the Old Course
Tiger Woods waved goodbye to St Andrews, possibly for the final time in a competitive event, when bowing out of The Open Championship after failing to make the cut.
St Andrews will not be on the rotation again until 2027 at the earliest, and Woods may not be playing competitive golf in his 50s.
He arrived in Scotland talking positively about contending, despite the fitness issues with his leg, but things unravelled on the first day as he played himself out of contention with a six-over 78.
The three-time Open champion required something special to make the cut, but he never got going and signed for 75 to finish at nine-over after two rounds.
At the time of signing his card, Woods was in 150th place. With the top 70 and ties making the weekend, he has no chance of getting above the cut line.
Whether we see Woods competitively again at St Andrews remains to be seen, he resisted the farewell wave on the Swilcan Bridge ala Mark Calcavecchia earlier in the day, but he got a standing ovation walking up the 18th - befitting for what the 15-time major winner has brought to the game.
“It was emotional,” Woods told Sky Sports. “I have been coming here since 1995.
"I think the next one is 2030, and I don’t know if I will be physically able to play by then. So it felt like my final Open at St Andrews.
“The fans, the ovation and the warmth, it was an unbelievable feeling.
“Just the collective warmth and understanding, they understand what golf is about and what it takes to win an Open.
"I have been fortunate enough to win twice here. It felt emotional because I do not know what my health will be like.
"I feel like I will be able to play future British Opens, but not sure when it comes back here I will be playing.”
Things were wrong from the first on Thursday. He improved in his second round, as on this occasion he did not find the water with his approach.
The putter was cold on day one, as he repeatedly left the ball short of the hole. That was the case on the first, while he blasted one past the cup on second, but at the third he got one to drop to get to five-over.
He gave the shot back at four and once again on five the putting frailties reared their head again. The putting surface was found in two on the par five, but the left the eagle well short and the birdie putt slid by on the left.
He looked disconsolate walking from the fifth green to the sixth tee. And his head dropped further as his tee shot found a bunker. It resulted in a bogey to take him over-par for the day and kill off any hopes of a fightback to make the weekend.
Hell Bunker is one of the most famous traps in the game. It should not be a worry for professionals, so it summed up Woods’ week when his approach to 14 found its way in. He did brilliantly to get out and leave himself a putt for a birdie, but it stayed above ground.
Double bogeys cost Woods on Thursday and he signed for another on 16, but in front of a huge gallery on 17 he knocked in an excellent par putt.
His tee shot on 18 was good. He savoured the walk, and the approval of the crowd drew emotion from the two-time winner at the Old Course.
But his two days were summed up when he missed a tiddler for a birdie on 18.
Woods probably looked at his playing partner in nodding approval, as US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick played himself superbly into the tournament with seven birdies in a round of 66 to move to six-under.
There are LIV golfers massing towards the top of the leaderboard. Dustin Johnson fired a five-under 67 to move to the clubhouse lead at nine-under, while Talor Gooch is two further back.
Adam Scott had a frustrating day on Thursday, but he scorched through the field as a round of 65 moved him alongside Gooch and Patrick Cantlay, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is one back of Johnson after a second 68 of the week.
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