back to list ]Tiger's Playoff Life Safe, For Now; 6-under-par 65 Gives Him Renewed Hope - September 3rd
Posted by Jim Connelly (09/04/2010 10:33AM )NORTON, Mass. – We all know a cat has nine lives, but what about a tiger?
When that tiger is the world’s number one golfer, Tiger Woods, and the lives refer to his future in the PGA TOUR Playoffs, we know now there are at least three.
Woods kept alive his season and his quest for his third FedExCup title on Saturday when he carded a bogey-free, 6-under-par 65 in the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
It was the second time in as many weeks that Woods’ season has been on the line. At last weekend’s opening playoff event, The Barlcays, Woods entered 112th in FedExCup points. Needing to get into the top 100, it seemed a lock after Thursday’s opening round when he posted a 6-under-par 65, his best round of the season to date. But a struggle over the final nine holes of Friday’s second round and the opening nine of Saturday’s third round left Woods at even par for the tournament and out of the projected top 100.
That was when it was time for the first rally. Woods played the final 27 holes 7-under-par and while he was nowhere near the top of the Leaderboard, his play was good enough to catapult him to 65th in the FedExCup standings and send him to Boston.
In Friday’s Deutsche Bank Championship opening round, Woods had a nightmare start, posting four bogeys in the first six holes. Again, he would stage a minor rally to post a 1-over-par 72 on a soggy TPC Boston course. But entering Saturday’s second round tied for 87th would mean Woods would not only have to improve, but he’d need to do so in a major way to first make the cut and then determine his FedExCup future.
Woods’ response was swift, going out in 32 on Saturday as part of the 7:12 a.m. tee time from the first tee. Unlike his opening round, Woods took advantage of some of the easier holes on the front, making birdie on both par-5s – the 2nd and 7th – as well as at the drivable par-4 4th and the long par-4 6th.
“I’m in a learning curve still,” said Woods, who is going through a complete swing makeover with swing consultant Sean Foley. “I’m going to have off days. Yesterday, I started off terrible but I got it back, and I pieced it back together again.”
Woods cooled off a little on the back nine as the wind picked up but was able to chip in on 13 for birdie and then reached the par-5 18th in two and two-putt for his sixth and final birdie of the round.
Remarkably, it was the first birdie free round of the year for the world’s number one player, his last round without blemish coming at the 2009 PGA Championship 13 months ago.
“It was a clean card today,” said Woods. “Could have been a little bit lower. I missed a few out there but overall with the wind blowing like [it was on the back nine], I feel very pleased with the number I was able to post.”
The wind may prove key to Woods’ success for the remainder of the weekend. On Friday, the morning flight went low often with 16 of the lowest 18 scores coming in the morning flight. Woods had the misfortune of the afternoon draw yesterday played in heavy rain and considerably more winds than the morning.
Saturday could prove that way as well as there was little wind morning when Woods teed off. By noon, the wind was gusting and threatening those with late tee times. Asked if he hoped the wind continued to blow, Woods’ answer was swift.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” Woods quipped. “It if doesn’t blow, the guys are going to shoot what they shot yesterday, and I’m sure that it if didn’t blow at all, the cut would have been 4-under.”
Hoping to hang within striking distance of the leaders, Woods also can set his eyes on yet another task of survival. After completing his round on Saturday, Woods was projected to rank 62nd in FedExCup points. If he can survive at that position until Monday, he’ll qualify for next weekend’s BMW Championship in Chicago. But that will require weekend rounds that resemble Saturday’s 65 rather than Friday’s 72.
If the latter rather than the former is Sunday’s result, this Tiger may be using up yet another life come Labor Day.
Early Round Notes
Time to say goodbye…
There are a few morning flight players who won’t make the cut at Deutsche Bank whose PGA TOUR Playoffs will come to an end. Only the top 70 advance to next week’s BMW Championship and only players making the cut will earn additional points.
Thus Steve Elkington, J.P. Hayes, Chad Collins, Chris Couch, Jimmy Walker, Troy Matteson and Webb Simpson will see their Playoff hopes end here in Boston, as all will miss the cut and are currently outside of the top 70. Scott Verplank, who fired a 69 on Friday, withdrew on Saturday due to a wrist injury and will likely miss the Playoffs cut. Kenny Perry, who needed to add points this week to advance, also withdrew prior to the start of the week citing fatigue.
And then there’s Campbell
One player who entered the week on the wrong side of the Playoffs cut line and won’t have a chance on Saturday to make the needed rally is Chad Campbell.
Campbell was disqualified on Saturday after firing and opening round 1-over-par 72 for failing to register prior to the tournament starting. Players must register on-site before they can play in a PGA TOUR event or show evidence of a mitigating circumstance.
“You know, just can’t believe you make a mistake like that,” said Campbell. “Obviously disappointed that I’m not going to play today, but that’s the rules.”
Campbell was optimistic that he could shoot a score low enough to make the cut and at least give himself a chance to earn the FedExCup points necessary to keep his season alive. His error, though, means that not only his Deutsche Bank Championship is over but so too is his post-season.
“It would have been nice to … finish up the week pretty good and hopefully get into next week,” said Campbell. “But that’s the way it goes.”
