SAN MARTIN, Calif. – It came much too late in the week to be relevant to the final outcome of the Frys.com Open, but Tiger Woods completed his best nine holes of the week to kick off his Sunday trip around CordeValle. Going off for the second straight day in the first group from the tenth tee, Woods shot 4-under 32 to get into a share of 12th place.
Woods opened with a birdie at the par-4 tenth hole from 12 feet before doing something he had not done all week: hit the fairway at the long par-5 12th. From the short grass, Woods was able to go for the green from 270 yards and snagged a birdie on the hole for the first time all week – a small measure of revenge for the Thursday double bogey that sent his round into a minor tailspin.
Like Friday, Woods made birdies at the 14th and par-5 15th in similar fashion to the second-round run. Woods’ tee shot at the par-3 16th left him deep and buried in a greenside bunker for his lone dropped shot of the side.
At the shortened, 284-yard 17th, Woods took an aggressive line to the drivable hole. He landed in the greenside bunker, but freed himself to a handful of feet for a birdie.
Woods is 8 under as he makes the turn toward the front side and, for the fourth straight day, playing into a group with Paul Casey. The world No. 51 will have a front row seat for the championship struggle.