CNN
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It was a powerful and eventful third spherical from Tiger Woods on the Genesis Invitational, one which included his first eagle in three years – and a drive that ended up in a spectator’s jacket.
It was Woods’ shot on the thirteenth gap on the Riviera Nation Membership that veered off to the fitting and someway discovered its means right into a fan’s jacket.
“Unexpectedly he hit, and no person is aware of the place it went,” the fan later informed the PGA Tour. “I regarded and I had this bump in my pocket, you realize my jacket which I had wrapped round … and I pulled it off and a ball dropped off and it was his.”
After receiving a free ball drop, Woods went on to avoid wasting par. He had earlier hit an eagle on his 1st gap, his first because the 2020 Genesis Invitational.
He ended the spherical with a powerful four-under 67, taking pictures three birdies and an eagle for his finest spherical of the week and the third-lowest rating of the day.
Woods was requested if his efficiency was the very best since successful the Masters in 2019: “Sure, sure, it’s. It’s the very best I’ve performed,” Woods informed reporters.
A second-round 74 meant Woods had solely simply made the reduce to compete within the closing two rounds of a event for the primary time since final 12 months’s PGA Championship, which he withdrew from earlier than the ultimate spherical
After struggling critical leg accidents in a automotive accident two years in the past, Woods has made sporadic aggressive appearances as he battles with a grueling restoration course of.
Enjoying on the Genesis Invitational this week marks his first official event begin since The Open Championship in July and his first non-major PGA Tour occasion because the ZOZO Championship in October 2020.
“It’s only a matter of whether or not I can get from level A to level B,” Woods mentioned Saturday, per the PGA Tour. “That’s been the wrestle a part of it. I can hit photographs, I can hit balls on the vary, I can chip, I can putt. It’s simply getting from level A to level B has been the most important problem.”
“We’ll go forward and reassess every part and see the place we’re, see how I get better from a full event,” Woods added. “I haven’t completed this shortly. The final time I did it was at The Open Championship, so it’s been some time. Hopefully the physique will nonetheless really feel good someday later subsequent week. As of proper now, restoration time will likely be enjoyable.”
The 15-time main winner is three below par for the event, 12 photographs off chief Jon Rahm who’s on 15 below. The 47-year-old will tee off at 11:16am ET within the closing spherical on Sunday.
He has had a controversial week in California. After his second spherical he mentioned he was sorry “if I offended anyone” after being criticized for handing fellow golfer Justin Thomas a tampon in the course of the first spherical.
“It was presupposed to be all enjoyable and video games and clearly it hasn’t turned out that means,” Woods informed reporters.
