2020 Memorial: Tiger Woods fades in his season restart
Tiger Woods faded Sunday at the Memorial Tournament in his first start since the PGA Tour resumed play six weeks ago.
Woods struggled to a 4-over 76 and 6-over 294 total, falling into a tie for 40th place at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio (scores). He shot 71-76-71 in the previous rounds at a place where he had won five times over the years.
Woods was making his first appearance in an official event since he shot 76-77 on the weekend to fade to 68th, last place among those who made the cut, at the Genesis Invitational in mid-February. He teamed with former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning to defeat rival Phil Mickelson and NFL star Tom Brady on May 24 in The Match: Champions for Charity, a made-for-TV exhibition that raised $20 million for coronavirus relief.
Woods, who rarely plays two weeks in a row, did not commit to the field for this week’s 3M Open near Minneapolis. The following week’s WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational precedes the PGA Championship, the season’s first major event, so he is not likely to play in Memphis, either. Thus, his next start likely won’t be until the PGA, on Aug. 6-9 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Woods, a 15-time major champion, has won the PGA’s Wanamaker Trophy four times, in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007.
Woods, 44, remains tied with the late Sam Snead for the most victories all-time on the PGA Tour, at 82. Woods will be the defending champion at the rescheduled Masters on Nov. 12-15.
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