Woods shoots 69 despite sickness at Hero World Challenge
In one sense, Saturday was the best round of the week for Tiger Woods. In another, it was the worst.
Woods shot 3-under 69 at Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Round 3 of the Hero World Challenge, marking his best round in his return to competitive golf. However, a day after Woods spiked a 100-degree fever, his health visibly worsened, including vomiting off the first fairway. Perhaps emblematic of his day, Woods went on to make birdie at No. 1.
The former world No. 1 made the turn in 1 under, making a bogey at the par-4 sixth before picking up a bounceback birdie at the par-5 seventh.
On the second nine, Woods got to 2 under on the round with a birdie at the 12th. Then it was deja vu all over again as Woods found himself in almost the exact same position short of the green at the par-5 13th as he was on Thursday when he hit one of four chunked chip shots on the round. Different day, same result. Woods again chunked his chip shot, leading to another bogey. A bogey at the par-3 15th dropped him back to even on the round.
However, Woods found enough to have his best final flurry to a round this week, making three conseuctive birdies to turn in a 69 that was impressive given the circumstances.
Woods remains in last place in the 18-man field and, at even-par 216, is the only player not under par for the week. But, even as his health worsens, his scores continue to improve.
“Well, it wasn’t easy, and I fought hard,” Woods said after the round. “That’s about all I had.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
