Tiger Woods Struggles with Putting at U.S. Open

Tiger Woods endured a dismal putting performance at the U.S. Open, carding 36 putts to complete a 2-over-par 72 round at Pinehurst No. 2. The inconsistent putting has left Woods six shots off the lead of Retief Goosen, but the golf star remains hopeful of making a comeback in the final round. Despite leading the field in greens hit in regulation, Woods has faltered in putting, ranking 83rd and last among the players.

Key Takeaways:

• Woods needed 36 putts to complete his round, a poor performance in a major, particularly considering his impressive 42 greens hit in regulation.
• The challenging putting conditions, with uphill and straight-away putts, have forced Woods to adopt a defensive approach, often missing putts by just a few inches.
• Woods' experience and success in majors have given him confidence, and he plans to draw on this experience to make a comeback in the final round.
• Peter Jacobsen enjoyed a thrilling moment with a hole-in-one on the 175-yard ninth hole, a feat that has occurred only 39 times in U.S. Open history.
• Phil Mickelson's chances of winning the Open also vanished, with a triple bogey 8 on the fourth hole, followed by a 72 total, leaving him 11 strokes behind Goosen.

Statistics:

• 36 putts: Tiger Woods' number of putts in his round, the most in a major for him.
• 42 greens hit in regulation: Woods' leadership in the field in this category.
• 100 putts: Woods' ranking in putting, the worst among the players.
• 214: Peter Jacobsen's total score, tied for 11th place.
• 39: The number of known hole-in-ones in U.S. Open history achieved by Peter Jacobsen.

Sources:

• (c) 2005, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site, at http://www.philly.com/
• Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.