Tiger’s PGA Championship press conference: Saturday
Q: (No microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: Well, I hit it good enough to be where I needed to be, but I putted awful. And I finally figured something out today on the putting green, but the damage had already been done. Finally rolled the ball coming in, and unfortunately it was a too little, too late.
Q: What was it that you figured out?
TIGER WOODS: Just my setup. My lines were off. So I got my lines organized, and all of a sudden I was seeing my line again. And not only that but I felt like I could roll the ball on my correct pace.
Q: So what now?
TIGER WOODS: What now? I’m going to go home and watch the leaders tee off and play. Probably in Florida. Actually, I’ll go to my sports bar, how about that? (Laughter.)
Q: (No microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: Well, it just takes time. Unfortunately, this is — I hadn’t played that much the last couple years, and I’m finally able to start playing. And unfortunately, I’m missing out on — potentially missing out on the playoffs. But I still have a lot of golf left. We have got some other tournaments that I’m going to be playing in, plus overseas events. So there’s plenty of golf left to be played for the rest of the year. But this — I guess PGA TOUR season may be coming to a close, but I still got plenty of golf to play around the world.
Q: I know you just stepped off, but when you look at the ten events that comprise your season, how do you describe them?
TIGER WOODS: Well, the first two were not very good at all. Hence I took the break to try and figure it out. And came back at Augusta and had my short game back.
Then I started getting my ball striking in order, but then I lost my putting. I hit too many balls and neglected my chipping, because I thought that was sound again.
And then I just need to do both at the same time. I just haven’t done that. I haven’t put together ball striking and putting. It’s been one or the other.
Q: Besides the physical journey, how you describe your journey with confidence?
TIGER WOODS: The confidence is growing quickly. That’s the fun part. I’m hitting shots and able to hit shots that I haven’t been able to hit in years and that’s nice again. And to have the control that I need to have going forward, it’s starting to come back, which is nice.
I just need to get more consistent in tournament golf. Only way you can do that is by playing, and as I said, I have a lot of golf to be played around the world.
Q: (No Microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: Well, it’s been one or the other. As I said, ball striking sound or then putting bad or putting great then ball striking is not so solid. I haven’t been able to put consistently both together for an entire event. Maybe for a day or two but not for an event.
So far, ten events this year, obviously it’s a very small sample, but I’m pleased at the way I’m starting to hit the golf ball. Now if I can start putting like I did today or what I did at Quicken Loans a couple weeks ago, start putting like that, then we got something.
Q: (No microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: I’m just going to sit back and I’ll go through with my team, we’ll talk about it, what I need to do and see if that’s the right move or not. We’ll decide next couple days.
Q: (No microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: It’s frustrating to miss any cuts because any time you miss a cut, you don’t have a chance to win the event. Even if you’re way out of it, we saw Paul Lawrie come back from 10 shots in one day. But you have to give yourself that opportunity and I haven’t given myself that opportunity in the last few Majors.
Q: (No Microphone.)
TIGER WOODS: I think it’s more just building. People keep asking me this week: Is it your season, your season? No, it’s not really about the season, it’s about the year.
I know that we have a different — I haven’t quite come to grips with the whole none calendar season yet, this whole wraparound thing, so for me I still consider it a year. And I still have plenty of golf to be played for the rest of the year. And as I said, on a global level.
Q: Is this the kind of golf course that somebody can come back from behind?
TIGER WOODS: Absolutely. You can go out there and post a low one, and then also you can have guys have train wrecks. You just — that’s typical of a Pete Dye golf courses. That’s what he gives you. I think this may be probably the most severe of all of Pete’s golf courses off the landing areas or around the greens.
If you’re in the fairway, or on the greens, you’re fine. Especially at these temperatures. The ball’s flying forever. So it’s playing a lot shorter than the number. But if you miss those spots, boy, you’re going to pay a price. You’re going to have some, you know, lean lies, some awkward stances, and generally you probably aren’t going to get a good lie. So that’s another factor.
