TULSA — Tiger Woods is playing because that’s what Tiger Woods does. He limps and scratches, grimaces and grunts—for what? for himself.
Woods has little to gain from proving he’s got zero points and getting knocked out at this PGA Championship and struggling through another two grueling rounds. A normal person would make a double bogey on the 11th hole at Nanshan as a not-so-subtle hint: put it away, man. Complete the movement, avoiding pain as much as possible, and then return to Jupiter in time to sleep in your own bed. Heck, Rory McIlroy will do it faster.
“Watching him yesterday, if that were me, I’d consider quitting and going home,” McIlroy said after a two-point loss to Woods on Friday, in awe of his partner’s game. “But tigers are different.”
In fact, Tiger Woods is a unique individual with a supernatural ability to lock down a single target. In the second round in Tulsa, that goal was the cut, damn it. So that’s what he’s going to do.
In short, in his own words: “If you miss the cut, you can’t win the game.”
With a 1-under 69 Friday afternoon, Woods finished the game with 3 shots and one shot left in the weekend that won’t be a highlight of Woods’ best moments. But this is a true masterclass in the art of grinding. His temples poured down and his ankles swollen as his gait slowed to tiptoe — and Woods said earlier this week that his surgically reconstructed right leg has more of it than he did at the Masters. Endurance, but we’re still waiting for the proof — Woods gritted his teeth and somehow managed to hit two under par on the final seven holes to warrant two more tee shots at South Hill.
This is also not a two-putt golf ball on the fairway green. After that double bogey, Woods putt six greens in a row. There was a 14-footer for par after he pushed the ball into the short-side bunker. At 13, he dug a wedge in a tree for an 8-foot birdie; 14th, par 3, a 15-footer; absolutely nowhere to go after airlifting the 15th green Go; birdie with a 5-iron to 4 feet on the par-4 16th, which is also a par 5 for membership; a tight 4-foot par at 17; and finally, two standouts at 18 The transaction was completed during the volatility.
“It was incredible to make the cut at Augusta and make it here,” McIlroy said. “I joke [Woods’ caddie] Joey [LaCava] Said yesterday that he could have come back to play Honda and Valspar, two of the flattest courses on the tour. It might have been easier for him, but he had two of our toughest walks. But yeah, just incredibly resilient and mentally tough. Getting a front row seat – he felt it, he felt it with every swing, but looking at how he did on the back nine…it was just a massive effort. “
So Woods will be racing the weekend again. Since his right leg was crushed by an SUV, he has played in two tournaments, both majors and qualifying both times. He still believes he can win this week. Of course he knew. Realism is rarely the strong suit of historical greats.
“I hope I can play like Bubba today and tomorrow,” Woods said deadpan, referring to Bubba Watson’s 7-under 63. “That’s what I’m thinking right now. I’ve got to do something physically to get myself there tomorrow and it’s going to be a quick turnaround. That’s the reward you get. You’re going to tee off early the next day, hopefully I can Hit the ball in. The weather should be a little harder and a little more cranky, hope so. If so, hopefully I can play a good round and at least get up on the board to keep myself at amazing distance on Sunday within.
“I’m far away, but you never know. Grand slam titles are hard to win. We’ve seen guys with big leads or big comebacks, so you never know.”
His beliefs aside, Woods is almost certain he won’t win this week, which will piss him off. He is also apparently frustrated with the feeling in his legs after insisting earlier this week that he had made significant progress over the past month. This is not to doubt the veracity of his self-assessment. The leg did feel better Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and even Wednesday. But it started screaming on Thursday, watching him slowly climb a proper hill in Nanshan, and the word “progress” didn’t come to mind.
But Friday’s game isn’t about building a team against Brookline or St Andrews. Woods’ mind doesn’t work that way. His vision is narrow, always has been. After all, that’s why he’s in Oklahoma this week. That’s why he stayed a few days longer.
More PGA Championship coverage from Golf Digest
.