Miami, Gold Coast (Australia): Tiger Woods’ hopes of a fairytale return faded on Saturday after an error-strewn round saw him tumble down the leaderboard at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
After solid displays on his opening two rounds had left him at seven under par for the tournament, the former world No. 1 suffered a torrid third round with a three-over-par 75.
It left the 14-time major winner at four under, several shots off the leading group who were still on the course at the par-72 Albany Golf Club.
Woods, who is playing for the first time since February, was in trouble from the opening hole, hitting his tee shot at the first into the sand bordering the fairway.
His second shot hit a rock hidden in the sand, leaving him with a difficult up and down to save par.
He reached the green in three but missed the putt to make bogey.
A further bogey followed on the third when an attempted chip onto the green struck the bank and rolled back.
Two more bogeys on the sixth and seventh put him four over for the day as his challenge threatened to unravel, and a further bogey on the 10th further deepened the gloom.
But Woods kept battling away and finally started getting some joy from his putting, to finish with two birdies on the 14th and 17th holes to claw back two shots.
A further birdie putt on the 18th rolled agonisingly wide.
Woods return this week in the 18-man tournament which benefits his charity is his first event since back surgery in April.
The golf superstar has made only a handful of appearances in the past two years after back problems forced him to miss the entire 2015-2016 season.
In Gold Coast, Australia, Cameron Smith claimed the Australian PGA Championship when he beat fellow Australian Jordan Zunic on the second play-off hole on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Sunday.
Smith and Zunic finished the tournament locked at 18 under par 270 on Royal Pines Resort course.
Smith started the day three shots behind Zunic but fired his fourth consecutive sub-70 round with a four-under 68 to peg back the overnight leader.
“I tried to stay aggressive all day,” Smith said.
“With Jordan’s lead that he had, I thought that I had to stay aggressive. I knew he was playing well.”
The 24-year-old Smith grew up in nearby Brisbane and is considered the rising star of Australian golf.
He grew up watching fellow Queenslanders Adam Scott and Jason Day.
“Jason was just kind of coming out of junior golf in Queensland as I was going into it, so I used to go and watch him and stuff like that,” he said.
“I remember going out with dad and mum watching Adam and those type of guys up there (at the Australian PGA) in Coolum.
