Tiger Woods Can Still Hold It Together When The Best Cannot

Tiger Woods continues to make this comeback gig of his incredibly interesting.

The latest episode of The Tiger Woods Comeback Show was a humdinger Thursday at Jack’s Place.

Things didn’t start well at all for Eldrick.  To say he came out flat would be an understatement.  He had a bad case of the lefts.

He started at 10 and his opening three-wood went left.  So did an iron off 11 that led to a bogey.  Nothing was going well but it was early.

Then at the par five 15th Tiger launched one that sailed right of Rush Limbaugh, so far right it settled into some rich guy’s back yard.

The OB led to a dastardly double and Tiger Woods was dangerously on the brink.

How about 39 at the turn?

“I made a couple of adjustments on the last nine, a couple of tweaks,” Woods said, talking about what would be the turnaround of the day.  “It could have been a lot worse, I could have shot myself out of the tournament.”

But he didn’t.  Those “tweaks” helped him find four birdies on his way to the house.  A three-putt at the fourth spoiled that nine but Woods said it was his second at the par five fifth that got him going — a blistering three-iron from 245 out that set up birdie.  He got another at six, another at seven then a nice scrambling par at the ninth got him in relatively unscathed with an even-par 72.

Woods said he tweaked his setup.  “My back was a little tight,” he said.   But no reason to panic about that.  “It’s fused, you know,” he reminded everyone.  “I’d rather have this than the pain,” he said, referring to the tightness.

At the end of the day Woods said he feels “pretty good” with the putter.  “I just need to give myself more looks.”

The stats show he had 30 putts, 16 of those came over his first, shaky nine holes.

Now here’s the food for thought about this latest Woods performance — he outplayed a lot of the world’s top stars.

Jordan Spieth looked dazed and confused on his way to an opening 75.  Unlike Woods, he couldn’t make any adjustments.

Same for Rory McIlroy.  He staggered in with 74, looking as confused as Spieth as both continue their graduate work at The School Of Underachievement.

Unlike Woods, Rory had no adjustments — just poor play.

The world’s one-and-two were no balls of fire.  Woods tied Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson with his even par round.

Tiger tied Rickie Fowler (No. 7) too.

There were good scores to be had, thanks to a good overnight soaking from rains that were due again Thursday night.

Jack’s course is supposed to play firm and fast.  It played slow and receptive.

Woods was hopeful that he could get out and play better Friday afternoon.

“A good round gets me back in it,” he said matter-of-factly.

For now he’s tied for 47th, but at least he’s on he right side of the cut line.

And when you consider the mind-boggling struggles of Spieth and McIlroy, well, Tiger Woods has reason to be optimistic.

Real optimistic.

First Round Scores: