June 14th 2024.
Tiger Woods, the legendary golfer, faced a tough challenge during his first appearance in the U.S. Open in four years at Pinehurst No. 2. Despite his efforts, he was unable to make the cut and will be heading home. The future of his golf career is now uncertain.
Woods, a three-time U.S. Open champion, struggled on the tricky domed greens and sandy native areas of the Donald Ross course. These unconventional features, with plants instead of traditional rough, proved to be a difficult obstacle for him. His scores of 74 and 73 on the first two days marked his 13th consecutive round without breaking par in a major tournament.
"It's one of those things where in order to win a golf tournament, you have to make the cut," Woods expressed his frustration. "I can't win the tournament from where I'm at, so it certainly is frustrating. I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn't work out."
This was Woods' first U.S. Open round since 2020, due to various injuries and surgeries on his back, knee, and right leg and ankle. Despite a promising birdie on the first day, he couldn't maintain his momentum and struggled with five bogeys in seven holes. However, with almost 24 hours to recover before his second round, he started strong with two par saves and a birdie.
But the hot weather and challenging course proved to be too much for Woods. He missed several opportunities to gain traction, including a close call on a birdie putt on the 15th hole. "It was probably the highest score I could have possibly shot today," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots that just didn't quite go my way. Or I hit good putts, and then I put myself in a couple bad spots with some bad lag putts."
Despite these setbacks, Woods showed glimpses of his past greatness with a 20-foot downhill putt for birdie on the fourth hole. However, he couldn't maintain this level of play and struggled with errant shots and missed opportunities.
Woods' future in the U.S. Open is now uncertain. He has had a successful history in this tournament, winning it in 2000, 2002, and 2008. However, his recent injuries and surgeries have taken a toll on his performance. When asked if this could be his last U.S. Open, Woods remained noncommittal. "As far as my last... U.S. Open championship, I don't know what that is," he said. "It may or may not be." Only time will tell if we will see Woods back on the course for another U.S. Open.
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