Sunday 17 March 2019 19:27, UK
Tiger Woods insisted his game was "right on track" for the Masters as he made a positive finish to a frustrating week at The Players Championship.
Woods closed with a three-under 69 to finish on six-under par at TPC Sawgrass, with four bogeys and a lone bogey on a final day in which he missed only two of 14 fairways but struggled to threaten the pins with his irons.
The 43-year-old was well placed at five under after seven holes of his second round when his hopes of a third victory in the PGA Tour's flagship event took a nosedive as he put two balls in the water at 17 and ran up a quadruple-bogey seven.
Woods did well to salvage a 71, but he effectively took himself out of contention with an outward 39 on Saturday, leaving him to reflect on what might have been but for one bad hole and several putts that lipped out on the greens.
"I was close to getting over the hurdle and getting things rolling, and unfortunately I made that seven over at 17," he said. "I also missed a few putts that I could have very easily got the momentum going that could have gotten me on a run.
"I was close, and I know that the score doesn't really indicate that, but this is probably the most stressful golf course you ever play when there's wind out here.
"The wind swirls and you have fairways that are tough to hit and then you have the greens that are tough to hit and put it in the right sections, and if you don't, you're going to be standing on your head hitting some shots. I only had a few of those this week, so all in all it was a solid week.
"I felt like I was playing well, but my score didn't really indicate that going into the final day. I was hitting the golf ball well and I'm frustrated at lipping out on more putts out than I think I have in a very long time. It was just one of those weeks where just nothing really got rolling enough to get me going."
Woods confirmed he would be teeing up in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Dallas which will complete his competitive preparation for the Masters next month, and he is happy with how his long game is shaping up for Augusta National.
"I'm excited about the way I drove it," he added. "I drove the ball well this week. I drove it not quite as long on the weekend with the cooler temperatures, but I was driving it pretty straight and I was able to shape the golf ball both ways with all three of my woods, which was good to see.
"It's right on track. I feel like I'm able to shape the golf ball both ways, which I'm going to need at Augusta. I just need a few more putts to go in, but that's about it."
