British Open: Tiger Woods chases Lee Westwood
Tiger Woods began the final round of the 142nd British Open two shots behind leader Lee Westwood at Muirfield Golf Club.
Both were trying to end major droughts: Westwood was 0-for-61 in majors entering this championship, and Woods, a 14-time major champion, was 0 for his last 16.
2013-7-21 tiger woods on the putting green
Westwood (-3), plays with Hunter Mahan (-1), and Woods (-1) tees off with Masters champion Adam Scott (even). ESPN has the live TV broadcast.
No. 9, 554 yards, par 5: Woods is likely finished, but Scott is coming off back-to-back birdies and right in the mix here. Woods' second lands well short and runs over the green. Woods' chip for eagle is really, really bad ... never had a chance, and now birdie is not a sure thing. Scott has a good look at eagle, but it comes up short. He will have a tap-in for birdie to get to -1. Woods does make birdie to get back to +1.
Westwood: His tee shot at 8 rolls into the thick rough. Westwood needs to settle now ... 175 to get past the cross bunkers, and that's where he ends up. From the bunker 40 yards in front of the green is chopped out and now he will have about 30 feet from in front of the green to save par. Westwood misses the long par saver and has 4 feet for bogey ... he makes that one, but now he has gone bogey-bogey and is at -1, with Henrik Stenson and Scott.
Elsewhere: Henrik Stenson is in position for birdie again at No. 10. Stenson lips it out and will stay at -1.
No. 8, 441 yards, par 4: Woods finds the fairway off the tee and knocks his second to within about 8 feet for birdie. Has to make this birdie putt to have any chance, slim though it may be, to stay in this. Scott from about 35 feet for birdie, and he drains it to get back to even par. Here comes the Masters champ. It's all over but the crying for Woods, who misses the birdie putt. The putter has been lousy on Sunday. He will stay at +2.
Westwood: Finds a front bunker on the par-3 seventh, and the ball is buried. He has a chance to get out OK, but par will be a test. Ouch. Westwood doesn't get it out far enough, and it rolls right back in. The good news is it didn't end up in the footprint and the lie is better. Now he's hitting three. Beautiful out this time will give him a solid chance to save bogey. Westwood saves his bogey, losing only one shot, but at -2 his lead is only one.
Elsewhere: Henrik Stenson makes birdie at the par-5 ninth to get back to -1. Phil Mickelson makes bogey at 10 to drop back to +1.
No. 7, 184 yards, par 3: Woods' tee shot is on the green but short, 40 feet short. Scott has a solid birdie try. Woods makes a good putt for an easy par putt. Scott rams home his birdie putt to get back to +1.
Westwood: Hits the green but it was a long birdie putt ... He did knock it up close for a tap-in par. Still at -3. Mahan continues his downward slide.
Elsewhere: Ian Poulter bogeys 16 to drop back to +1.
No. 6, 461 yards, par 4: Time to make a move ... even if that move is a safe par. Woods' tee shot finds the fairway bunker, and he chips out leaving a long third to the green. Now he will have 25 feet to save par. Woods is going in the wrong direction. Scott slides his birdie putt past but will tap in for par to stay at +2. Another bogey for Woods, and he is now at +2, +3 for the round.
Westwood: The tee shot into the fairway bunker at No. 5 will not cost him ... a solid 3-iron into the wind from 207 will give him about 10 feet for birdie. Mahan also is in birdie range. Westwood knocks in his birdie putt to get back to -3. Mahan makes par.
Elsewhere: Henrik Stenson bogeys 8 to fall back to even par. Phil Mickelson birdies 9 to get to even par, -2 for the day ...
No. 5, 559 yards, par 5: Woods with driver off the tee, misses the fairway left into the rough. Woods chops out about 140 yards into the center of the fairway. Woods' struggles continue ... a poor third will leave him very little chance for birdie on the par-5. The camera and microphone picked up the frustration loud and clear. Major No. 15 is getting farther and farther away. From about 60 feet, Woods rolls it about 3 feet past. Not bad really ... as long as he makes the par putt. Scott put himself in solid position for birdie but couldn't get it down. Pars for both; Woods at +1, Scott at +2.
Westwood: The leader is now at the par-3 fourth ... 221 right into the wind. He hits a good one and is on the green safely. Mahan missed left into the rough. Par for Westwood, another bogey for Mahan. Off the fifth tee, however, Westwood finds a fairway bunker. Westwood chops out and is now in the fairway.
No. 4, 226 yards, par 3: The wind seems to be blowing harder than it has all week. Scott's tee shot is well left, and he will tap in for bogey. Woods makes another bogey ... more poor work from the putter ... and he is now +1. Scot drops to +2.
Westwood: From the deeper rough at 3, the leader chops it out low and left, way left. And he hits it int he gallery. Mahan's second from the fairway was on line but short. Westwood found his ball in the tramped down rough and then hits a solid third to about 8 feet for par. Can't get it down, however. Bogey for Westwood to drop to -2. Mahan makes par.
Elsewhere: Ian Poulter goes eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie to get to even par overall, through 12 holes.
No. 3, 377 yards, par 4: Woods' tee shot ends up in the right rough. Scott is in the fairway. It's getting late early out there for Woods ... the scoring holes are early, and it gets tougher later. There's plenty of green for Woods, but the pin is tucked front right ... no way to get to it from where he is. He chops out and misses the green just to the right. Can still get up and down. Scott from 101 yards finds the center of the green and will have a look at birdie. Woods got a drop because a sprinkler head was in his putting line (local rule) and now he will putt from 65 feet. His putt goes only about 60 feet. Scott from 18 feet for birdie bent too much and spins about 3 feet past. Woods saves par to stay at even. Scott makes his par putt to stay at +1.
Westwood: His second at No. 2 is solid. Mahan blasts out of the bunker, then hits his third to about 20 feet. Mahan makes a nice putt, but he will end up with bogey. So me misses a good birdie try at 1, then bogeys 2. Westwood misses his birdie putt but makes a comfortable par. Westwood at No. 3 tee is into the deep rough. Three holes, three missed fairways.
Elsewhere: Mickelson birdies No. 5 to get to +1. Ian Poulter goes eagle-birdie-birdie at 9, 10 and 11 to get to +1.
Source : http://www.usatoday.com
