‘Hard to watch’: Golf world rocked by Tiger Woods scenes

One day after creating history by making his 24th consecutive cut at the Masters, five-time champion Tiger Woods has come crashing back down to earth in scenes that have saddened the golf world. The 48-year-old was hoping to break Jack Nicklaus’ record as the oldest winner of the green jacket, but saw his hopes extinguish in the third round as he set an unwanted piece of history.

Woods insisted he could challenge for a 16th major title after playing 23 holes at Augusta on Friday, but the gruelling nature of the tournament got the better of his battered body on Saturday. Woods slumped to a third round score of 82, or 10-over-par, to leave him 11-over in total and 18-shots back from the leader and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (-7).

The third round nightmare for Woods represented his worst ever score in a round at the Masters – a full four shots worse than the 78s he shot in the third and fourth rounds of the 2022 tournament. Woods’ participation in 2022 was nothing short of a miracle though after the car crash the previous year that threatened to end his career.

Woods’ body has not been the same after the crash. He’s struggled with back problems, has had multiple screws and pins inserted into his right leg and it’s taken all his powers of recovery to manage the pain around Augusta. In round three though, Woods followed a bogey on the fourth with a superb birdie on the difficult par-4 fifth, but then bogeyed the sixth and ran up a double bogey on the seventh. The 15-time major winner also made a double bogey on the par-five eighth and dropped another shot on the ninth in a front nine of 42.

Tiger Woods makes a lengthy birdie putt on No. 5. #themasters pic.twitter.com/bm3zw6cllK

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2024

He made five more bogeys, and a birdie on the 13th, in a back nine of 40 in what was his 99th round in the Masters. At one point, there were rumours that Woods was about to withdraw mid-round but he limped through 18 holes and insisted he would come back and fight in the final round. “My team will get me ready. It will be a long night and a long warmup session, but we’ll be ready,” he said.

Woods has only played 24 holes of competitive golf in 2024 before this week and said he just couldn’t get in a rhythm during the third round. “I wasn’t hitting it very good or putting well,” a disappointed Woods added. “I didn’t have a very good warm-up session and I kept it going all day today. Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn’t hit it. And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, make-able putts. I missed a lot of them.”

Golf world saddened by historic Tiger Woods struggles
The sad reality for Woods is that this was just the fifth time he’s shot a round in the 80s as a professional, and only the third time in a major. Concerned fans admitted it was “tough to watch” him struggling, with with veteran American golf commentator Butch Harmon insisting the 48-year-old will be “very upset” with his round.

“We know when he teed off he thought he had a chance to move up this leaderboard,” Harman said. “I think playing 23 holes yesterday had to put some wear and tear on his body. Still, to have Tiger over the weekend at The Masters is what we’re looking for. It’s a pleasure to have him back.”

I don’t want this to be the end of Tiger Woods but this is hard to watch 🙁

— Laker CJ (@LakerCJ) April 13, 2024

Man, Tiger falling apart is truly hard to watch. First ever double bogie at Augusta on hole 8, on track for another on 9. I think I screamed louder at that drive than I ever have for a UFC fight or boxing match

— Jane D’Oh! (@AbcdEsq_FU) April 13, 2024

Watching Tiger struggle the way he is at The Masters is really hard to watch. Looks like hes in so much pain. #themasters

— Jarred The Great (@Comments4days) April 13, 2024

Watching this body wrecked version of Tiger Woods at Augusta is so sad.

— Tim.A (@timans_24) April 13, 2024

I don’t think we are going to get to watch Tiger Woods play golf tomorrow and that makes me really sad. #TheMasters

— Riley Gates (@Riley_Gates) April 13, 2024

Scottie Scheffler takes one-shot lead into final round
Like the rest of the field, Woods will be chasing Scheffler in the final round after the World No.1 rebounding from a double bogey at 10 and a bogey at 11 that dropped him out of the lead. The 2022 champion showed his prowess on the biggest stage to hit back with an eagle at 13 and two more birdies in a round of 71 that leaves him one stroke clear of fellow American Collin Morikawa, whose 69 leaves him at six-under going into the final round.