LA JOLLA, Calif. — The following words came from Tiger Woods following his frustrating 2-under-par 70 in Friday’s third round of the Farmers Insurance Open: “If I just continue hitting good putts eventually they’ll go in in boatloads.
A day later, Woods was still waiting for his ship to come in.
He managed only a 1-under-par 71 in Saturday’s third round at Torrey Pines to get to 5-under for the week, 13 shots behind leader Justin Rose, and his putting woes continued.
Watching Woods play on Saturday once he reached the greens produced a familiar scene: After missing his first putt by just a little bit, an exasperated Woods would lumber to the hole and tap in his second putt. It seemed like he was left with a tap-in on almost every hole.
Pin in. Pin out. It didn’t matter for Woods, who tried it both ways and never found the hole quickly enough.
Woods, who in each of the previous two rounds had hit 7-of-14 fairways, hit 10-of-14 on Saturday. After hitting 12-of-18 greens Thursday and 13-of-18 on Friday, Woods hit 14 of 18 in regulation Saturday.
None of it really mattered, though, not when you’re taking the 31 putts Woods took Saturday, which was even worse than the 29 he took Friday and 28 on Thursday.
“I finally drove it good and didn’t hit my irons very close and again had a bunch of close calls on putts that just didn’t go in,’’ Woods said. “It’s frustrating because I’m hitting a lot of good putts and they’re just not going in.’’
Woods finally made birdie putts on Nos. 8 and 9, his final two holes of the round to turn an over-par day into under par.
Woods said a positive finish to the week for him would be if he can “get to double digits’’ under par for the tournament. That would require shooting a 5-under-par 67.
“That would be nice,’’ Woods said. “It’s not too much to ask if I play well. If I drive it like this, hit my irons a little more crisp and make a few putts, I should be able do that. I’ve got to play a little bit better than I have, and if I can drive it like I did (Saturday) and hit my irons a little bit better and give myself plenty of looks … ’’