Advertisement

Tiger Tracker: Shot-by-shot recap of Tiger Woods' second-round 66

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Tiger Woods is six back through 36 holes. He finished off a 4-under 66 in Round 2 Saturday morning at the PGA Championship and is in the hunt halfway through.

We followed his long second round, shot by shot. Catch up with it all below:

Hole No. 18: Par 4, 456 yards

OFF THE TEE (10:33 a.m. ET): Another driver, and this one is bad. It goes way right and flies straight into the crowd over there. It appeared to hit there and stay there, which could be a decent break, as that rough would be matted down. We’ll see.

APPROACH SHOT (10:38 a.m. ET): That was indeed in a decent lie. But all Tiger could do from there was aim at the left side of the green. Still, he does find the surface. Should be a good 80 feet for birdie to that back-right pin. This would be a huge two-putt to finish if he could get it.

ON THE GREEN (10:47 a.m. ET): Tiger did misread this a good deal left but that is great pace. That leaves him about 4-5 feet for par. He then drains that for an important closing two-putt. This was the round he needed to stay in the hunt. But there is still a lot of work to do over the final 36.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 4-under 66 (4 under overall, T-19)

Hole No. 17: Par 5, 597 yards

OFF THE TEE (10:13 a.m. ET): And Tiger plays that lower cut with the driver again and that is ideal. Carries it about 290 yards and actually bounds about 25 yards forward after hitting on a bit of a downslope with a lower ball flight. He will absolutely be able to go for this one in two.

Tiger was definitely sharper with his swing yesterday, but he hadn’t fixed his woes with the driver. If he’s found something with that lower cut off the tee, he could be a dangerous man the remainder of this weekend.

APPROACH SHOT (10:23 a.m. ET): OK, here we go … Tiger from 270 yards after a wait, and oh yeah! Tiger plays a lower cut with this fairway wood and this lands on the very front of the green and bounds forward a bit. We are dancing! Maybe 30 feet under the hole for eagle!

ON THE GREEN (10:27 a.m. ET): That’s a good putt, as it just misses left and trickles on a foot by. That’s a tap-in birdie! That was nice. If he can somehow birdie 18, he will enter the final 36 only five back.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 4 under through 17 (4 under overall, T-19)

Hole No. 16: Par 3, 224 yards

OFF THE TEE (10:03 a.m. ET): A 5-iron and that’s a nice cut that finishes 20-25 feet right of the hole. That’s a nice, solid shot on a tough hole. Would be a bonus birdie if he could get it. He has a par 5 coming up, too. Again, you’d think he’s targeting something around 5 under through 36 holes.

ON THE GREEN (10:08 a.m. ET): A good run at that one, but it just dives low and left of the cup and runs about 2 feet by. He cleans up for par, but that was quite close to a great birdie.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 16 (3 under overall, T-25)

Hole No. 15: Par 4, 499 yards

OFF THE TEE (9:46 a.m. ET): This is a lasered low cut driver down the middle of the fairway. That was pretty, and about 290 out there (remember, the ball isn’t rolling today and it’s not hot out at the moment). Should be about 200 yards for his second.

APPROACH SHOT (9:51 a.m. ET): This is just OK. Tiger had this on-line from about 205 yards but this comes up a good 40 feet short of the pin and then trickles a decent deal left. About 50-ish feet up a slope for birdie for TW.

ON THE GREEN (9:56 a.m. ET): That’s not a bad first putt, as he leaves this about 3-4 feet short of the cup. His comebacker drops just fine. That’s a solid par there. Tough par 3 coming up.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 15 (3 under overall, T-26)

Hole No. 14: Par 4, 422 yards

OFF THE TEE (9:30 a.m. ET): Tiger goes iron off the tee here and this is just fine down the right side of the fairway. That’s laying back a little of course, but he’ll have a good look in.

APPROACH SHOT (9:35 a.m. ET): Another 175-yard range approach and that’s a solid one that lands 20 feet below and right of the hole and basically sticks there. About 18 feet under the hole for birdie. A good shot there.

ON THE GREEN (9:41 a.m. ET): Not enough pace. A decent putt but he had to hit that a good 2 feet harder on that line to get it to drop. This harmlessly finishes 6 inches under the hole. He pars.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 14 (3 under overall, T-24)

Hole No. 13: Par 3, 172 yards

OFF THE TEE (9:21 a.m. ET): That was a good strike with a 7-iron and deserved better. Lands about 12 feet left and beyond the cup and should’ve basically stayed right there and left him 15 feet for birdie. But it barely catches a ridge and trickles away. This ends up about 25-30 feet away. That will be harmless, but he goes from decent birdie look to a very likely two-putt par.

ON THE GREEN (9:26 a.m. ET): A solid putt there, as this goes about a foot left of the hole. That wasn’t an easy putt up a huge slope. Simple two-putt par. If we’re thinking a number for Tiger, he’d probably want to be 5 under at least by round’s end, ideally.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 13 (3 under overall, T-25)

Hole No. 12: Par 4, 459 yards

OFF THE TEE (9:03 a.m. ET): He takes out driver and this is no good. He misses that one right and that nestles down in the rough. Tiger’s just got to probably play this approach safe at the fat of the green.

APPROACH SHOT (9:07 a.m. ET): He had 174 yards, and this was a tough lie. All he can do is go for the right side of the green with the pin back-left. This shot comes out a bit dead and Tiger just reaches the green. Unfortunately, he’s on the right-front edge. With that back-left pin, this birdie putt could be some 90 feet. This will be a heck of a two-putt par if he can get it.

ON THE GREEN (9:17 a.m. ET): That first putt was over 100 feet and honestly that was a pretty solid effort. He hits that too far right but speed is pretty good as it’s just a bit too hard. Overall, that left him about 5 feet for par. But that remainder starts left of the cup and doesn’t come back. That misses left, doesn’t even touch the cup. Seems like he hit a good putt, but that’s still a miss and a three-putt bogey.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 12 (3 under overall, T-26)

Hole No. 11: Par 4, 298 yards

OFF THE TEE (8:49 a.m. ET): OK, drivable par 4 here. Kind of big for Tiger to get one back here. Like playing competitor Rory McIlroy, he decides to lay up with an iron. And that’s fine in the fairway. He will for sure have a short wedge second. These next few holes will be quite important.

APPROACH SHOT (8:54 a.m. ET): Yeah, baby. Tiger hits a beauty of a wedge from 89 yards that lands 5 feet past, hops forward and spins back no more than 3 feet left of the cup. That is almost a tap-in, really. It’s maybe 3 feet away. This should be a bounceback birdie.

ON THE GREEN (8:57 a.m. ET): Yep, he rolls that in just fine. A great bounceback birdie, much needed.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 4 under through 11 (4 under overall, T-17)

Hole No. 10: Par 4, 498 yards

OFF THE TEE (8:31 a.m. ET): First driver of the day … and this is LASHED. Perfect cut almost in the exact center of the fairway. Could hardly have placed it any better.

APPROACH SHOT (8:36 a.m. ET): Tiger had 204 yards with a 6-iron and this comes up just short. He is baffled it came up short, thought he struck it well. This ball landed maybe 5 yards short of the green and hangs up in very short rough above the bunker. So that’s honestly a harmless miss. Should be a pretty simple chip from about 35 feet total below the hole.

AROUND THE GREEN (8:41 a.m. ET): Well that was decent, but this isn’t stone dead. He chips this about 4 feet short of the hole. That’s a pretty easy short putt and his flatstick has been flawless in this round. So you’d think no problem, but let’s take nothing for granted.

ON THE GREEN (8:44 a.m. ET): Yikes. He misses that one to the right. That is just a bad bogey right there. His first mistake of the round. He does have a drivable par 4 upcoming, though.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 10 (3 under overall, T-26)

Hole No. 9: Par 4, 438 yards

OFF THE TEE (8:12 a.m. ET): Tiger goes iron off the tee here and this is a nice one down the right side of the fairway. Good shot, although certainly conservative. He’ll have a longer shot in, but he’s in the fairway and conditions are so soft. Way more important to be in the fairway.

APPROACH SHOT (8:17 a.m. ET): Roughly 185 yards there for Tiger and that’s a solid, safe shot. That pin is tucked left and Tiger plays a draw but only a small one. This finishes right and short of a ridge. This puts Tiger on a level below the pin about 35 feet from the hole. Again, nice safe shot from there. Should be able to two-putt for par and go out in 4-under 31.

ON THE GREEN (8:27 a.m. ET): That is a great lag. That putt was actually 48 feet up that big slope and he kills it just to get it 18 inches short of the hole. He marks, but his remainder is just a mere formality. Great two-putt and this second round remains flawless.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 4 under through 9 (4 under overall, T-17)

Hole No. 8: Par 5, 600 yards

OFF THE TEE (4:26 p.m. ET): This driver is just a touch too far left. It ends up just kicking into the left rough about 310-ish yards down there. Unless he gets unbelievable luck with that lie (looks like he didn’t), this will be a lay up.

A quick note: Tiger hasn’t been perfect on every shot, but he looks so much more comfortable with his swing today. And his putter is still hot.

SECOND SHOT (4:32 p.m. ET): Tiger indeed lays up. He takes an iron out of this rough and this is a nice one down the right side of the fairway. That will be a wedge third.

UPDATE: Play was suspended due to dangerous conditions at 4:35 p.m. ET. The delay could be short, we’ll see.

UPDATE No. 2: Play has been suspended for the day. Woods will resume his round at 8 a.m. ET Saturday. We’ll continue to follow right here.

THIRD SHOT (8:04 a.m. ET): We’re back! Tiger’s first shot this morning after the delay overnight is a good one. He controls this wedge beautifully, as it lands about 5 feet below the hole, hops forward, spins and stops 6 feet past the cup. That leaves a fantastic look for birdie.

ON THE GREEN (8:08 a.m. ET): DEAD. CENTER. What delay? A birdie to open Saturday and Tiger is off and running again!

TIGER ON THE DAY: 4 under through 8 (4 under overall, T-17)

Hole No. 7: Par 4, 384 yards

OFF THE TEE (4:11 p.m. ET): This iron just leaks a little too far right and bounces into a fairway bunker. It’s in the middle of the bunker, though, and lie should be fine. So honestly that’s about as benign a missed fairway as you can get.

APPROACH SHOT (4:15 p.m. ET): Tiger again goes right at the pin, but it just comes up short. Lands about 2-3 yards short of the green into an upslope and sticks there and spins back a touch. If he lands that a few yards farther, he’s stiff. Still, a pretty simple chip on the upslope here. He’s maybe 25 feet from the pin, and this is holeable.

AROUND THE GREEN (4:20 p.m. ET): ALMOST. He almost chips in again! He landed that about 5 feet below the hole and it was going right at it. It actually hit the left-center of the hole but had too much speed and popped up as it hit the hole and went about 3 feet past. Should be a par, but that absolutely could’ve gone in for birdie.

ON THE GREEN (4:23 p.m. ET): He does roll that 3-footer in. Right in the center. Calm stroke. This is a great round so far, something special feels potentially on the verge.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 7 (3 under overall, T-21)

Hole No. 6: Par 3, 216 yards

OFF THE TEE (4:01 p.m. ET): There’s a buzz as Tiger goes on this birdie run, and … he promptly dumps a low pull into the left greenside bunker. Just a poor swing. Really tough hole and water was right, so kind of understandable. Still a bad swing. Not a tough up and down, though, if he has a good lie in the bunker.

AROUND THE GREEN (4:05 p.m. ET): That was pedestrian. He lands that on a fringe downslope just in front of the green and it barely trickles forward onto the green. Odd. That leaves him a good 12-15 feet for par.

ON THE GREEN (4:09 p.m. ET): HUGE! That was actually at least 15 feet and this one catches the right side of the hole with some speed, rattles around the cup and curls in. That is a really important par. Tiger always talks about how the par-savers keep low rounds going. If this round does turn out to be really low, this is the putt that kept him on track.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 6 (3 under overall, T-22)

Hole No. 5: Par 4, 466 yards

OFF THE TEE (3:43 p.m. ET): Tiger goes driver again, and this is one is great. He liked it right away, and this one finishes down the right side of the fairway. Perfect.

APPROACH SHOT (3:52 p.m. ET): From just inside 150 yards … that is another beauty. He lands that about 8 feet left and beyond the flag and it stops and spins quickly. No more than 10 feet beyond the hole for birdie. Another excellent birdie look.

ON THE GREEN (3:57 p.m. ET): Another birdie putt DEAD. CENTER. That was like it was on a string, as it started right and turned left into the middle. That’s three birdies in five holes. Oh this is exciting.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 3 under through 5 (3 under overall, T-21)

Hole No. 4: Par 4, 520 yards

OFF THE TEE (3:26 p.m. ET): The first driver today on the toughest hole on the golf course … and that’s missed to the right. It lands in the right rough and appeared to bound into the crowd. If so, he should have a decent lie over there. Not a good tee shot, but he actually might get away with it.

APPROACH SHOT (3:34 p.m. ET): Indeed, Tiger gets fortunate with the lie as this is in matted down spectator stuff. A 4-iron from 207 yards and Tiger is being really aggressive today. Hit this right at the pin, and this ends up OK. Lands on an upslope a few yards in front of the green and hops a bit forward and stops right in front of the green. He’ll very likely putt that, about 25 feet from the pin. Nice shot from there, as we said that was right on-line.

AROUND THE GREEN (3:38 p.m. ET): Tiger actually chipped that and he ALMOST holed it! That was on a great line and broke right to go toward the cup but rolled by on the left by an inch. Tiger had thought he made it, started winding up the fist pump. That was quite a moment. Almost three birdies in four holes. But a nice easy par instead.

ON THE GREEN (3:40 p.m. ET): He indeed cleans up the 1-footer. That would’ve been a huge birdie. Still a great start.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 under through 4 (2 under overall, T-29)

Hole No. 3: Par 3, 132 yards

OFF THE TEE (3:17 p.m. ET): That’s a pitching wedge for Tiger, and oh man is he firing. That one lands 5 feet short of the hole, hops forward and spins back under the hole. That’s 4-5 feet for birdie right under the hole. This is an easy hole today, but that’s still quite a shot with water fronting. Crowd is buzzing.

ON THE GREEN (3:23 p.m. ET): He walks it in again! Never a doubt, basically dead-center. This is exactly the start he needed on a day where low scores are everywhere. He’s now eight back.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 2 under through 3 (2 under overall, T-31)

Hole No. 2: Par 4, 416 yards

OFF THE TEE (3:03 p.m. ET): Another iron and this one is perfect. He loved it right away and he should’ve. Picked up the tee quickly and this finishes in the left-center of the fairway.

APPROACH SHOT (3:08 p.m. ET): This one from 144 yards is right at it, and we could be in business. This one lands about 8 feet short of the pin and spins back a touch. That leaves maybe a 15-footer right under the hole for birdie. That’s really nice there, pin was in back, so that was on the money while not flirting with danger over the green.

ON THE GREEN (3:13 p.m. ET): BURIED IT! That was a textbook birdie right there. Tiger rammed that one in the center, too. The cutline is currently even par, so Tiger is off that. He is also under par for the first time all tournament.

TIGER ON THE DAY: 1 under through 2 (1 under overall, T-44)

Hole No. 1: Par 4, 415 yards

OFF THE TEE (2:50 p.m. ET): An iron off the opening tee and this challenges the bunkers on the left for a second but ends up just fine in the left side of the fairway. Good start.

APPROACH SHOT (2:55 p.m. ET): This is not Woods’ best effort from 152 yards. Leaves it out to the right, and this ball finishes about 25-30 feet right of the hole. That should be harmless, but it’s very unlikely he makes birdie.

ON THE GREEN (3 p.m. ET): That putt was on a solid line, but this was a difficult one down a ridge. So Tiger lagged it down there about 18 inches short of the cup. That leaves an easy par.

TIGER ON THE DAY: Even par through 1 (Even par overall, T-62)

Pre-round

Tiger tees off at 2:48 p.m. ET. The scores are LOW today, as five players have rounds of 6 under going. Woods is currently nine back, but he has his round still to play of course on an extremely gettable layout.

As we wait, here’s a look back at his opening round:

More Professional