Even while struggling with errant drives over a punishing course, Tiger Woods nearly found a way to win in North Carolina on Sunday at the $5,6-million PGA Wachovia Championship.
Woods fired a four-under par 68 on Sunday to finish in a share of third with Paraguay’s Carlos Franco, one stroke behind playoff winner Joey Sindelar and another American compatriot, Arron Oberholser.
”All I wanted to do was give myself a chance and at least I did that,” Woods said. ”I just wish I could have gotten a couple more [birdies].”
After hitting only six greens in regulation on his way to a 75 in the third round, Woods fired balls on the driving range until dusk trying to solve the swing woes that have bothered him in recent months.
Still, Woods found only five fairways on Sunday, although his errant strokes were a bit less off the mark than before.
Starting the final round five strokes behind overnight leader Oberholser, Woods bogeyed the third hole. But that was his only bogey against five birdies.
It wasn’t until he birdied the difficult par-three 17th, drilling a five-iron to 30 feet and curling in the putt, that he had a realistic chance to win, guessing that a birdie on his 72nd hole would get him into a playoff.
It would have, but Woods sent his approach at the 18th hole back off the green and had to settle for par and a 10-under 278 total. — Sapa-AFP