Jordan Spieth keeps 1-shot lead at Travelers

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods received a standing ovation from the patrons as he walked up Augusta National’s 18th hole. His fellow competitors were waiting for him outside the scoring area. It was a scene reminiscent of his win here three years ago. Woods didn’t add to his incredible 82 wins and 15 majors on Sunday, but he still called this year’s Masters one of the greatest achievements of his career. Few can understand how difficult it was for him to play this week, Woods said. Only a handful of people have seen what his right leg, the one that was shattered in last year’s single-car accident, looks like under his pants leg. It’s a sight that leaves people “horrified,” in Woods’ words. An even smaller circle saw all the ice baths and recovery work that were necessary to piece Woods back together for each round at Augusta National. “It’s hard. It’s hard,” Woods said. “I have those days where I just don’t want to do anything. It just hurts.” He fought through the pain to play all four rounds at this year’s Masters, completing 72 holes while some of his younger, healthier competitors missed the cut. “Forget score. I don’t care. He might not say that to the media, but forget score, right? It’s pretty inspirational,” said Bubba Watson. “I cry on a paper cut. For him to be able to walk and make the cut is pretty spectacular.” Watson was there when Woods walked off the 18th green Sunday, stopping Woods to give him a hug and say, “I’m proud of you.” Bryson DeChambeau was there, as well, despite missing the Masters cut. The record will show that Woods finished at 13-over 301, his highest 72-hole total at this event by eight shots. It also is the second-highest 72-hole total of his career. Score was secondary this week, though. “I don’t think people really understand,” Woods said. “The people who are close to me understand. They’ve seen it. Some of the players who are close to me have seen it and have seen some of the pictures and the things that I have had to endure. They appreciate it probably more than anyone else because they know what it takes to do this out here at this level. “It’s one thing to play with my son at a hit-and-giggle, but it’s another thing to play in a major championship. It’s been a tough road, and one that I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to be able to grind through it. A lot of different things could have happened, but 14 months, I’m able to tee it up and play in the Masters.” Woods also described himself as thankful for the opportunity. “I am. I really am. I truly am. Just to get to this point,” he said. “Just to be able to play, and not only just to play, but I put up a good first round. I got myself there. I don’t quite have the endurance that I would like to have had, but as of a few weeks ago, didn’t even know if I was going to play in this event. “I think it was a positive and I’ve got some work to do and looking forward to it.” Woods confirmed to Sky Sports that he will play The Open at St. Andrews in July. Many thought that would the site of his return to competitive golf because of the relatively flat terrain of the links where Woods won two of his three Open Championships. He said his status for next month’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills was uncertain, though. Woods won the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. “I think it needs a couple more days to heal after this,” he said, “but we’ll get back after it, and we’ll get into it.”

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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Clearly he’s not the 2000 version of Tiger Woods. But that doesn’t mean the 81-time PGA TOUR winner can’t claim the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach for a second time. Woods demolished the field 19 years ago on the iconic California coastal masterpiece, winning by 15 shots. He was the only player under par for the championship… some 12-under. It was an old-fashioned carve up of the course and of his competitors. Back then it was brawn supported by brain. Now the brain takes the top notch, but the brawn is still there despite back-fusion surgery. Woods believes the advances in technology have allowed his aging body to still get to the places at Pebble he did in 2000. Of course, the difference this time around is the rest of the field can get there too. “It’s not the same body that I had back in 2000. I don’t think any of us have the same body we had 19 years ago,â€� Woods said. Related: Tee times | Tiger’s Jedi mind tricks at 2000 U.S. Open | Koepka eyes three-peat | Power Rankings “The golf ball is going further than it did back in 2000, I’m slower than I was in 2000. Apples to oranges, I guess you could say. I am about the same distance. And so the golf course really doesn’t play that much differently for me. “It’s just a matter of putting the ball in the right spots. I missed the ball in the correct spots (in 2000)… you look at all my angles. I did not hit every green. I did not hit every fairway, but I always had the proper angle. And gave me the best chance to get up-and-down. I poured everything in. Hopefully I can have one of those weeks on the greens again.â€� Woods has proven he can win in his 40s. Since his return from the fourth back surgery, he has won the TOUR Championship and of course his 15th major championship at the Masters. He’s had great success on poa annua greens in his career – particularly at Torrey Pines, but this season, to an extent, they’ve had his number. Woods has had 20 three-putts in 26 rounds this season with his worst weeks coming at the Genesis Open, the World Golf Championships – Mexico Championship and the PGA Championship. Those venues had poa greens. He knows the small putting surfaces at Pebble will once again be key. As such, he was putting extra practice work in and had putting coach Matt Killen in attendance. “Putting on poa is very different than putting on bent. And so just trying to make sure that I’m rolling the ball like I need to for poa,â€� Woods explained. “It doesn’t take much to get off line on poa. It gets a little bumpy, you happen to catch those little seed heads start popping up, bent sits down, poa perks up. And good putts look like they should go in, don’t go in. And you may pull one or push one that happens to bounce back in the hole. “The trick to putting on poa is to make sure you’re always below the hole. If you’re putting downhill, it’s like a Plinko effect, you’re going to go every which way. The key is to be below the hole where you can take low lines and try and take the bumpiness out of play.â€� It’s unlikely Woods will win by 15 shots again, but if he masters the greens the record tying 82nd TOUR win is certainly in play. “I feel like I’m trending in the right direction,â€� he smiled.

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