Watch: Tiger Woods Takes An Emotional Walk As His British Open Ends
A chance at a closing birdie on the 18th slid by the hole, a moment that encapsulated a frustrating two days for Tiger Woods at the 150th British Open.
But the moment just before that will be the lasting one for Tiger Woods at what he said could be his last Open at the Home of Golf. While walking up the 18th fairway he received an adoring ovation from packed grandstands, and wiped his eyes more than once.
"The warmth in the ovation on 18, it got to me," Woods said afterward. "It was just incredible, just the amount of understanding and respect of all the people involved in this event."
The entire week has been a celebration at St. Andrews, with Woods right in the heart of it. He played a four-hole "Celebration of Champions" exhibition on Monday and attended a dinner on Tuesday for all past champions.
Throughout he was putting in more practice on-site than he had for any other major this year, realizing the significance of the event but also believing he could contend. He won his first Open at St. Andrews in 2000, loves the challenge of links golf and, equally important now, figured the flat terrain would be friendly to his surgically repaired leg.
He acknowledged that when the Open returns to the Old Course — it is in a rota and hosts approximately every five years — he may not be a part of it.
"It's just special, it really is," Woods said. "I've been lucky to be doing this since 1995 (his first Open at St. Andrews). I'm not sure I'll be physically able to play another British Open here."
He played the two rounds with Max Homa and U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. The two stayed back to let Woods walk across the famous 18th fairway Swilcan Bridge alone and then have the stage all to himself while walking up to the green.
"That's a memory that will live with me forever," Fitzpatrick said.
Opposite the 18th hole, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas tipped their caps to Woods as they walked off the 1st tee.
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