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Tiger Woods no doubt is now not going to defend his Zozo Championship title, but he can at the very least retract solace sparkling he has some a lot-wished particular person momentum following Friday’s soar-encourage performance.
The 15-time foremost champion shot a six–below 66 within the second round at Sherwood Country Membership in California in a a lot greater showing than his four-over 76 within the first round.
It looked as if the correct files for Woods at the match that used to be moved from Japan to the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic used to be that it used to be a no-cut match following that opening round, but he made essential strides Friday in his first match since he missed the cut at the U.S. Open in September.
He is accrued two-below for the match and much within the encourage of leader Justin Thomas (-14), but he resembled the model of himself that’s an 82-time winner on the PGA Tour extra than the particular person that is a 44-365 days-outdated skool golfer struggling to soar encourage from injuries within the latter a part of his profession.
One in every of the largest complications for Woods in his first round used to be the par-fives, which he performed at three-over.
Essentially, Steve DiMeglio of Golfweek eminent it used to be the first time within the all-time extensive’s profession he shot bogey or worse on three par-fives in a single round. It used to be a good making an are trying vogue and a foremost motive he struggled to attain neatly on a direction he boasted a 68.46 profession average at prior to the round.
ESPN’s Bob Harig pointed out the 76 used to be Woods’ absolute top rep of his profession at Sherwood Country Membership, which used to be your total extra troubling for him pondering he shot a 64 in each and every of the first two rounds throughout his ZOZO Championship title final 365 days.
Woods wasted no time putting these par-five worries to leisure Friday with a creep lawful at the pin on his arrive shot on No. 2. He capitalized with a birdie after which birdied the par-five fifth as neatly.
It used to be allotment of a foremost opening stretch that saw him tally five birdies on the entrance nine with head-turning arrive photographs on Nos. 4 and 6 to house up easy putts. The handiest blemish on his entrance nine got here when he three-putted No. 3 for a bogey, but he fast build that within the encourage of him as the round persevered and drained a prolonged putt for birdie on No. 9.
It looked as if that momentum would be fleeting when a miserable tee shot led to a bogey on No. 10, but he recovered with but every other par-five birdie on No. 11 before an absolute adventure on No. 14.
Woods used to be correct off the golf green via two on the par-four but mishit a chip that now not ceaselessly went wherever. Rather then let it derail him, he saved par with a putt from off the green to retract momentum into the four-gap closing stretch featuring two par-threes and the final par-five.
He parlayed that momentum into but every other par-five birdie on No. 16 and a birdie on the par-three 17th following an very good tee shot to cap off a wise round.
Woods now has something to form on as he works toward the Nov. 12 Masters.
“I reflect my procedure is correct to play and practice,” he mentioned prior to the Zozo Championship, per Harig. “I possess no conception if I will play Houston or now not. I am now not playing subsequent week, and we are going to take a look at how this week goes and fetch a willpower from there.”
This week is going a lot greater following Friday’s showing.
