Wasn’t a whole heckuva lot to see out there Thursday at Riviera.
Used to be a ride at Disney World called Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
Tiger Woods revived that experience Thursday on day one of the Genesis Open.
The second episode of The Tiger Woods Traveling Comeback Show was in a lot of ways a replay of episode one.
Eight of 14 fairways, only seven of 18 greens.
“Oh man I fought hard.”
Have we heard that recently?
The game that the player formerly known as Tiger used to make look so easy has become so hard for this 42-year-old version of golf’s greatest active champion.
Things started well enough when he birdied his first hole of the day, the short, tricky 10th. Didn’t have to use driver there, which was a good thing.
But as soon as the big stick came out on the par five 11th, there it was, the dreaded Devil Ball. This one sailed way right and the result was not good. Eldrick’s stray pellet was devoured by a ravenous Eucalyptus tree. Lost ball, take a cart ride back to the tee.
“I wasn’t very happy,” Woods would later say. “Eucalyptus don’t normally keep golf balls but this one did. The last time it probably happened was at Olympic (2012 U.S. Open). Granted those are Cypress trees, I believe, and they swallow everything up.”
Tiger’s ball is probably still up in that tree, look for the wise Eucalyptus to put the ball up for sale on eBay next week.
There would be two more bogeys. Combined with that lost-ball double, they offset three hard-earned birdies and Woods turned with 37 on the card — one over.
Coming home it was another tradeoff — two birdies offset by two pars. All-in-all, a wild ride for Mr. Woods.
“Drives? I felt better — they were all right, the shaft is a little more stout. Obviously took out one side of the golf course.”
So said Woods, who tweaked his driver with a new shaft for this week. And yes, he took out the left side but the ones that went right, often went waaaaay right.
Good news is that he hung in there. He didn’t get wiped out by his playing partners. All Rory McIlroy could manage was an even par 71. An eagle (at the easy first), a couple of birdies and three bogeys left Rory with nothing to write home about.
Justin Thomas, fresh off some time off, shot 69 — five birdies, three bogeys. It’s easy to make bogey on this course if you don’t pay attention to what you’re doing.
Good news for Tiger is that he pummeled the world’s No. 1.
Dustin Johnson staggered in with 75 thanks to a horrendous three hole stretch on the front nine that saw D.J. go bogey-triple-bogey-bogey at the fourth, fifth and sixth holes. Pure slop from the pre-tournament favorite who will now have to bounce back strong on Friday just to make the 36-hole cut.
As for Woods, he’ll have to play better to stick around for the weekend. Doubtful he can shoot another over-par score and make it to Saturday.
And there’s still the mystery of the Tiger Paws.
Woods has to commit to play in the Honda before the end of the day Friday.
Sore feet and a hungry Eucalyptus tree?
Yeah, Tiger’s back and it’s getting interesting.
Isn’t it?
