What Tiger Woods decision to turn down LIV means for his legacy, golf
Andy Nesbitt and Dan Wolken look at how Tiger Woods’ decision to turn down LIV impacts his legacy and the Golf world as a whole.
Sports Seriously, USA TODAY
Tiger Woods teed off Thursday at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews in search of his fourth British Open title.
He is playing alongside Max Homa and Matt Fitzpatrick.
The 46-year old 15-time major champion has gone through extensive surgeries on his legs, including having his right leg injured after a single-car crash in February 2021.
He made a triumphant return after a lengthy layoff to the Masters earlier this year, where he finished 13-over par.
Woods withdrew from the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after posting a career-worst round at the event with a 9-over-par 79.
Woods made the cut at the tournament but cited injuries as a reason for his withdrawal.
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MORE TIGER: Analysis of Tiger Woods’ first round at The Open
Here is a hole-by-hole analysis of how Woods fared during Round 1 of the British Open.
Tiger hits the tee shot and it lands on the left side of the fairway. He then hit the next shot in a divot and goes on to have a double bogey on the par 4.
Again, Tiger has a decent tee shot followed by shots that left him with a lengthy chance at a birdie attempt. He saved the hole for par.
Tiger after 2: 2-over
Tiger hit the fairway to the left off the tee. His putting continues to be an issue as he pushed his birdie shot 5 feet past the hole. He settles for a bogey.
Tiger after 3: 3-over
Tiger starts off with the driver on the par 4. The ball hits the rough and then makes its way back onto the fairway. Although 10 feet from the hole, he leaves it short and settles for another bogey. His playing partners each finish the hole at 1-over.
Tiger after 4: 4-over
With a manageable par 5, Tiger hits the fairway. His birdie putt was close to the pin but doesn’t make it. A chance to cut down on the leaders was lost and he settles for a par.
Tiger after 5: 4-over
Tiger hit the fairway once again. With a wedge, he makes it to the edge of the green with a long putt for par. He makes it and saves the hole. No one in playing group has made a birdie so far this round, and each are looking way up at the leaderboard.
Tiger after 6: 4-over
Tiger’s hole at 7 started with fans yelling, and he promptly went into the bunker on the right side. He punched out of the bunker and found the fairway but again went off and to the right leaving a chip shot from about 7 feet for bogey. He missed and is in deep trouble now.
Tiger after 7: 6-over
At the 200-yard par 3 eighth, Tiger’s tee shot gives him a decent chance at a birdie. He misses it short, but taps in for par from 2 feet.
Tiger after 8: 6-over
Tiger hits a good drive starting the par 4 ninth hole, landing just a few feet from the green. Broadcasters note this is the second-easiest hole on the first day so far. His second shot is right on the money, leaving an excellent shot for birdie less than 10 feet from the hole. First birdie of the round in the group comes from Homa, and Tiger follows with one. He leaves with a big smile on his face.
Tiger after 9: 5-over
Tiger starts off his back nine by hitting the fairway at 10, and his second shot is just as true, leaving him a few feet from the cup for another excellent birdie attempt. And it is back-to-bird birdies for Woods.
Tiger after 10: 4-over
Another par 3, Tiger hit the tee shot on point and leaves it about 40 feet from the cup. But any momentum he had quickly went away as he settles for another bogey.
Tiger after 11: 5-over
Tiger drives the tee shot and lands into some thick grass, still with a good shot to have a positive outcome on this par 4. He does a good job with his second shot and lands within reasonable distance from the hole. Tiger’s short game is way off as he misses the birdie shot and settles for par.
Tiger after 12: 5-over
Tiger hit his signature low-flying stinger with a driving iron and gave this one a good run down the fairway, though his ball eventually rolled into the rough. Well this won’t be fun: Tiger has a blind shot to the green from an uphill lie in the rough, with wind and a hard-breaking green. What could go wrong? He threw this one high into the air and landed it in the middle of the green and the ball just kept going from there. That’ll leave a good 100-plus feet for birdie.
– Adam Woodard, Golfweek
Tiger after 12: 6-over
Tiger rebounded with a long drive up the fairway that set him up nicely.
