Tiger Woods made another quick exit from the Firestone layout at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational today after producing the worst 54-hole total of his PGA Tour career relative to par.
A shadow of his former dominant self this week, Woods struggled to a five-over-par 75 in the third round on an ideal day for low scoring to leave his world number one ranking in peril.
Woods, who has triumphed seven times in 11 previous appearances at Firestone Country Club, bogeyed the last two holes for an 11-over total of 221 in bright sunshine to lie third-last in the 80-strong field.
It was his worst position after 54 holes on the American circuit since he turned professional in late 1996 and eclipsed his previous worst aggregate after three rounds – 10-over totals recorded at the 1996 and 1998 Tour Championship.
“No, talk to the leaders,” a grim-faced Woods told a PGA Tour official after being asked if he was prepared to speak to reporters after signing his card.
He did, however, say a few words to the official about his round which included two birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-four eighth.
“I drove it terrible, hit my irons terrible, didn’t putt well and it added up to a lot," the 34-year-old said after totalling 26 putts and finding seven of 14 fairways, surprisingly his best returns of a dismal week.
Asked if he could take any positives out of his Firestone performance with the final major of the year taking place in Wisconsin next week, Woods replied: "No, not right now.”
After making a hasty departure from the scorer's hut, he headed off to the range to work on his game with caddie Steve Williams.
The final hole today epitomised Woods’s struggles. After hitting a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway, he pushed his approach to the right, his ball clipping tree branches before ending in the first cut of rough.
He dropped his club to the ground in disgust before taking a further two shots to reach the green. Woods then holed a six-footer for a bogey five and doffed his cap to acknowledge polite applause from the crowd.
Woods has now left the way open for Phil Mickelson to take over as world number one tomorrow night.
The left-hander knows that a top-four placing, allied to Woods not finishing in the top 37, would see him take the crown. Mickelson is presently in a tie for second alongside Justin Leonard on six under, one shot behind leader Retief Goosen, ahead of his third round.
Woods is now 78th out of the 80 golfers remaining in the tournament, with just the Swedish duo of Henrik Stenson and Michael Jonzon trailing him in the €8.5 million event.