The Tiger Woods Traveling Reality Show: Episode Two — The Riviera Menace, co-starring Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and thousands of drunken, dazed fans screaming “Tyyy-gaaaahhh” and ‘Get In The Hole!” at least 5,000 times over 36 holes.
Riviera has never been Tiger Woods’ cup of tea. It requires more precision than power and over his 25-year-career, he never won at this storied Los Angeles venue.
So it came as no surprise this past week when Woods struggled and things would get a lot worse than they were two weeks ago at Torrey Pines.
There was a ray of hope after his opening round on Thursday, he held things together once again with a short game that was constantly under pressure. He shot a one-over par 72 and if he could just repeat that on Friday, he’d have a shot at making the 36-hole putt.
Things started out well enough on day two for the 14-time major champion. He was one-under par through five holes and the thousands following him were working themselves into a lathered-up frenzy. Screaming everywhere, all the time. “Tyyyy-gaaaaaahhhhhhh!” Playing partners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas heard that about 2,000 times on Thursday and Friday was no different.
McIlroy and Thomas were playing well enough, nothing sensational, but they were well ahead of Woods on the scorecard and most times about 30 past him off the tee.
Then suddenly, things began to crumble for Woods at the sixth. He made bogey, then another at seven then yet another at nine. Two-over at the turn, three over for the tournament, better shoot at least one-under coming in to stick around for the weekend.
A birdie at 10 gave plenty of false hope to the huge gallery following him. Maybe one of those old Woods birdie runs was coming.
Nope.
Instead Woods staggered with three straight bogeys, missing putts from inside five feet, inside six feet and another from just outside six feet. There was another at the 16th for good measure to guarantee an early exit.
Thirty-nine shots on the back nine was good for a 76, six-over par. See ‘ya.
Rory and J.T. would each finish two-under, they didn’t have their best stuff.
For Rory, it was a first experience with the chaos that surrounds Woods.
“I swear, playing in front of all that, he (Woods) gives up half a shot a day on the field. Like, it’s two shots a tournament he has to give to the field because of all that goes on around. It’s tiring. I need a couple Advil just to — I’ve got a headache after all that,” Rory said after 36 with Tiger.
Rory would go on to finish in a tie for 20th on Sunday. Thomas played well enough to jump into the top 10 and tie for ninth.
As for Woods?
“The feeling of not feeling very good over my putts finally caught up to me.”
So did his ball striking.
He only hit 13 of 28 fairways. Greens? How about a career worst 16 of 36? You read that right, just 16 greens in two days.
Wasn’t very pretty.
Tiger was trying to keep the old stiff upper lip.
“I’m very pleased. I’m very excited about it. I wish I would have two more rounds.”
Pleased?
The 16-year-old Woods shot 72-75 and missed the cut by four shots.
The 42-year-old Woods shot 72-76 and missed the cut by four shots.
So now it’s on to the Honda Classic this week where Woods hasn’t played in four years.
He needs to do something about that right-left miss because at PGA National, there are no trees, just water.
A lot of it.
