x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
Tiger Woods shoots his best round of the year at the Zozo Championship
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
      • Emergency 9
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • Emergency 9
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

Great for yourself...or your Dad

InsideGOLF
News

Tiger Woods shoots his best round of the year at the Zozo Championship

By: Nick Piastowski
  • Follow on Twitter
October 23, 2020
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is all smiles on the 8th hole at Sherwood Country Club on Friday.

Getty Images

Tiger Woods‘ last hole on Thursday was the 9th at Sherwood Country Club. 

Woods’ last hole on Friday was the 18th.

Nothing, not even the nines he started on, was the same for Woods over a span of a day at the Zozo Championship. 

Thursday, Woods shot a 4-over 76, the first round’s second-worst score – and just a stroke ahead of the first-worst. Friday, he made eight birdies and shot a 6-under 66. It was his best round in relation to par this year, and best since his 6-under 66 during the second round of the Hero World Challenge last December. (He also shot a 66 at the par-71 Northern Trust in August.) It tied his best-ever turnaround from a first round to a second.  

Thursday, Woods walked off the 9th green and murmured to himself. He skipped a post-round press conference. Friday, he walked off the 18th. He went to the post-round press conference. He laughed before saying anything. 

News
tiger woods smiles
What Tiger Woods’ use of this two-letter word tells you about his evolution
By: Michael Bamberger

Woods didn’t look like he did Thursday. He looked more like the defending champion of this event. He looked more like the 15-time major champion and 82-time PGA Tour winner that he is. 

“I think the overall, just overall, I hit the ball so much better,” said Woods, who is 2-under overall and 12 strokes behind leader Justin Thomas. “Yesterday was not that sharp, and today was a lot more sharp and a lot more crisp and clean.”

Especially on the par-5s. A lot more sharp, crisp and clean. 

Thursday, Woods bogeyed two par-5s and double-bogeyed another. Over his first six holes. It was the first time in his career that he had made bogey or worse on three par-5s in a round. Friday, Woods birdied his first par-5, the 2nd. Then his second, the 5th. Then his third, the 11th. He parred his fourth, the 13th. (He missed an 8-footer for birdie.) Then he birdied his fifth par-5, the 16th. 

On Thursday, he was 3-over on the par-5s. On Friday, he was 4-under. Seven strokes better over five holes. In a day. 

“I felt like I really didn’t swing the club that poorly,” Woods said. “I was just a fraction off, and I got out of position a couple times. And as I said, didn’t play the par-5s well, and it just snowballed into a high number. Was never really able to get any kind of momentum going because I played the par-5s so poorly. Today was different. Got off to a much better start and kept rolling.”

News
tiger woods zozo
10 revealing quotes from Tiger Woods’ press conference (and what they mean!)
By: Dylan Dethier

The par-5s weren’t the only difference. 

On Thursday, he was 77th in the field, or last, in Strokes Gained: Off The Tee. On Friday, he was 36th. On Thursday, he was 74th in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green. On Friday, he was 7th. On Thursday, he was tied for 64th in driving accuracy. On Friday, he was tied for 34th. On Thursday, he was 75th in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green. On Friday, he was 11th. On Thursday, he was tied for 75th in Strokes Gained: Total. On Friday, he was tied for 21st. 

Better, too, is Woods’ surgically repaired back. Better than it was at his last event, last month’s U.S. Open, where he missed the cut.

Which is the best thing for him. He goes as it goes. And in three weeks, he’s going to this year’s final major, the Masters.  

“I wish it could be good all the time,” Woods said of his back. “I have moments where it’s not quite – feels as elastic as I’d like it to be and unfortunately the U.S. Open did not help with the long rough, and did not drive it in the fairway enough times and put a lot of stress on it and shot high numbers.

“But I am moving a lot better. Having four weeks off was good, training sessions have been good, so everything’s kind of turned around.”

Latest In News

58 minutes ago

U.S. Open 2025: Pro hit with 'one of the worst breaks' of the week

1 hour ago

U.S. Open winners: Here are the last 30 champions

1 hour ago

Sam Burns’ roommate? He’s World No. 1. They share something special

2 hours ago

U.S. Open money: Total purse, payout breakdown and winner’s share

Nick Piastowski

Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.

  • Author Twitter Account

Related Articles

News
The Woods family at the PNC Championship.

Tiger and Annika's wholesome remarks, JT's step-in caddie | Rogers Report

By: Claire Rogers
News
Tiger and Sam Woods at the PNC Championship

Sam Woods caddies for Tiger, Trevino's tip for Charlie Woods | Rogers Report

By: Claire Rogers
News
Tiger Woods and Will McGee at the PNC Championship

Tiger Woods' imitation, the PNC's best friendship | Rogers Report

By: Claire Rogers
News
Max Homa pokes fun at Tiger, DJ goes fishing and Min Woo Lee celebrates his win.

Max Homa dunks on Tiger, Min Woo Lee's victory clapback | Rogers Report

By: Claire Rogers
News
mike torut hitting drive at topgolf

Mike Trout back hitting absolute bombs at Topgolf (and now we know his ball speed)

By: Nick Dimengo
News
tiger woods charlie woods

Where is Tiger Woods? Busy caddying for his son Charlie's career-low round

By: Sean Zak
News
Tiger Woods, Davis Love

Tiger Woods is watching the Presidents Cup. And he got a call DURING play

By: Nick Piastowski
News
Adam Scott of Australia and the International team shakes hands with Playing Captain Tiger Woods and the United States team after the United States team defeated them 16-14 on day four of the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Course on December 15, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.

Why Tiger Woods plays a role in both of Adam Scott's greatest Presidents Cup memories

By: Jack Hirsh
News
Tiger Woods and Notah Begay laugh at 2017 Hero World Challenge

'Don't bet against him': Analyst says Tiger Woods can still break this huge PGA Tour record

By: Kevin Cunningham
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.

Go to mobile version