Tiger Woods' 69 keeps him within striking range at Greenbrier
Tiger Woods didn't have his best in Friday's second round of The Greenbrier Classic on the Old White TPC in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
However, that meant shooting 69 instead of 79.
In another sign of progress this week, Woods wasn't completely derailed by frustrating play that was a staple in all but one of his previous six starts this year. Under cloudy skies and in intermittent rain, Woods didn't battle his swing most of the day, but he did struggle with distance control and accuracy into the greens with his approach shots.
While his tempo, rhythm and body language have looked better this week than at any time this year, Woods needed 32 putts and had to overcome one stubbed chip shot, one drive that landed out of bounds but luckily bounced back into play and another drive into a water hazard on his back nine.
Still, Woods managed to finish with four birdies and three bogeys and sits in the middle of the pack at 5 under through 36 holes. He is four shots behind leaders Scott Langley (69) and Jhonattan Vegas, who hit all 18 greens in regulation in a round of 65.
Woods looked like the Woods of old on the par-5 12th, when he smoothly ripped a 325-yard drive and then a 227-yard 5-iron to 12 feet. From there, he lipped out his eagle putt and settled for birdie. And on 18, he rifled an 8-iron to draw to 8 feet for a closing birdie. He also had two bounce-back birdies.
But Woods also looked like the Woods of old (circa 2015) when he stubbed a chip on the 11th and hit drives on 13 and 17 that were 30 and 50 yards off line.
Perhaps it was those memories that led to Woods declining to talk with the media after the round, a rare occurrence during his long career.
Words or no words, Woods has to be happy that he now has more rounds in the 60s (4) than the 80s (3) this year. And his 66-69 marks just the second time he's signed for back-to-back round in the 60s; in the Masters he shot 69-68 in his second and third rounds.
Woods, who said Thursday that he's close to getting his act together inside the ropes as the swing changes take root, hit 14 greens in regulation, a day after he hit 15.
But while he hit 10 of 14 fairways in his opening 18, he hit just 7 of 14 on Friday. His 32 putts were five more than he needed on Thursday, but this was more indicative of his inability to hit the ball close to the hole with his approaches, be they from the rough or the fairway.
He will watch a July 4 fireworks show at The Greenbrier, but he'll need to produce his own pyrotechnics before that if he's to get within striking range in Sunday's final round. With the course softened by overnight rains and plenty more drops on Friday, it is ripe for scoring. For everyone.
Woods has more than two dozen players between himself and the leaders. A 66-66 weekend might not be good enough. But at least Woods, who last won in 2013 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the last of five wins that season that earned him player of the year honors for a record 11th time, has a chance.
And if his play through two rounds holds, and he continues to get closer and closer to putting everything together after his latest swing change, those 80s will be a thing of the recent past. He once again could be a force – and not a farce – going forward.
