Facing difficult conditions on a hard and fast Carnoustie course, Tiger Woods fired a two-under 34 on the outward nine on Sunday to tie for the lead at the 2018 British Open.
The wind picked up considerably on Sunday for the first time all week. The change in weather transformed the course into a brutal test that gave nearly all the players on the top of the leaderboard fits. All but Woods, who put together two birdies and no bogeys on the front nine, and at that point was the only player under par on the course.
The three-time Open champion looked solid from the start. He hit a great approach at the 1st only to burn the edge with his birdie putt. Pars followed at 2 and 3.
With other players on the course starting to drop shots, Woods made up ground with his first birdie of the day at the par-4 3rd. His iron from the rough found the middle of the green, and he rolled in 15-footer to move to six under, three shots behind co-leaders Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele.
Here we go. @TigerWoods with the birdie.
Full scoring https://t.co/gVDayzkpiZ#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/botLSYyULB
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2018
At the par-5 6th, Woods pounded a drive into the fairway, hit a wood for his next shot and went for the green in two. His ball settled just on the front edge of the green.
Facing an awkward putt from 94 feet, Woods lagged it up to a comfortable range, then drained the short birdie putt to get to seven under.
Birdie at Hogan’s Alley.@TigerWoods is now just two back.
Full scoring https://t.co/gVDayzkpiZ#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/73gGe4LPxf
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2018
Shortly thereafter, Spieth and Schauffele both made bogey at the par-4 5th hole. The bogeys dropped the pair to eight under, just one shot in front of Woods.
His tee shot at the par-3 8th found a greenside bunker, but with a nifty wedge shot Woods was able to save par.
As with many holes at Carnoustie with the wind blowing, par is more like a birdie, and that proved to be the case with Woods at 8. Schauffele made another bogey at 7, and Spieth dropped two shots with a double. That turn of events left Woods tied for the lead with Schauffele.
Woods found another greenside pot bunker with his approach into 9. But once again he was able to get it close from the sand and knocked in a five-footer to maintain a share of the lead.
