There was a time Sunday when it looked like the one clad in the red shirt would charge into contention at The Honda Classic, much like he’d done here six years ago.
Tiger Woods twice made birdies to pull within four shots of the lead, but his rally stalled both times.
It was still his best performance of this nascent comeback, as Woods finished 12th at even-par 280 (70-71-69-70), moving from 179th to 130th in the FedExCup standings.
‘I thought I played well this week, I really did,’ Woods said. ‘I had control of it. I didn’t play the last few holes well a couple days but … I’m pleased with the progress I made and I gave myself a chance at it.’
He played Sunday alongside a 22-year-old Web.com Tour player who’d only played with Woods ‘in his video game.’ Sam Burns didn’t shrink from the spotlight, though, shooting a bogey-free 68 to finish T8. Burns turned pro in 2017 after his sophomore season at LSU, where he won the Nicklaus Award as college golf’s top player.
‘That was a really cool day, something I’ll always look back on and be thankful it happened,’ Burns said.
He got to see a Woods who looked more like an earlier version of himself, not the struggling veteran who fired 72-76 just last week to miss the cut by four shots. Woods hit 67 percent of the greens at PGA National and more than half the fairways (33 of 56). He led the field in proximity to the hole (29 feet, 3 inches) and driving distance on all tee shots (278.5 yards). He was third in driving distance on the two measured holes (319.1 yards).
Justin Thomas could tell he was dealing with a reinvigorated Woods after his phone remained silent Sunday evening.
‘Every other time that I’ve had a chance to win, … I get a text from him giving me a little advice or wishing me luck,’ said Thomas, who won the Honda in a playoff with Luke List. ‘I got crickets last night. I knew he had one thing in mind.’
Woods reached 3 under after he holed an 18-footer for birdie on No. 14. Any chance of victory ended on the next hole after he hit his tee shot into the water.
‘I hit that flush,’ Woods said about his ill-fated shot on the 169-yard, par-3 15th. ‘I don’t know how it ended up short.’
It was the second time this week that he found the water on the par-3 that opens the three-hole stretch dubbed the “Bear Trap.” He three-putted the next hole to fall to even par for the tournament. Woods played Nos. 15-17 in 8 over par this week, hitting it into the water on No. 15 in both the second and fourth rounds. On Saturday, he bogeyed both Nos. 15 and 17.
He also reached 3 under after making a 9-footer for birdie on the eighth hole.
‘I thought if I could post 6 (under), anything could happen,’ Woods said.
He pulled his tee shot on the next hole, missed the green and missed a 5-foot par putt.
Woods started the day seven shots back but inched closer to the lead with a 20-footer for birdie on the first hole and 9-foot birdie putts on Nos. 4 and 8.
Six years ago, Woods fired a final-round 62 here to nearly chase down Rory McIlroy. Woods, seeking his first win since 2009, eagled the 18th hole to finish two back. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard three weeks later.
He finished eight shots back this time, but still was optimistic as he left PGA National.
‘Each and every time out, I’m getting better,’ he said.
Credit: PGA TOUR
Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
