Tiger Woods opens up on 'biggest challenge' after heroic effort comes to nothing at the Masters

Tiger Woods struggled on Saturday at Augusta National, posting the worst score he's ever posted at a major event just 24 hours after breaking the Masters record for consecutive cuts made

Tiger Woods shot his worst ever score at a Major as he limped to a third-round 82 at the Masters, but the American superstar vowed to return for the final round on Sunday.

The 15-time Major winner set a new record of 24 consecutive cuts at the Masters with his opening rounds of 73 and 72. But playing only his second event of the year, the world 959’s lack of playing time and fitness caught up with him yesterday.

He went out in 42 - his worst ever front nine score here - after making double bogeys at seven and eight. And Woods, 48, looked in pain as he bogeyed his final four holes for his 10-over par score.

Asked if playing 36 holes had worn him out physically, the five-time winner here said: "Oh, yeah, it did. My biggest challenge? The fact that I was not hitting it very good or putting well. I didn't have a very good warmup session, and I kept it going all day today. Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn't hit it. And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, makable putts. I missed a lot of them.

“I wouldn't say necessarily it was a lack of mental reps. It's just that I haven't competed and played much. When I had chances to get it flipped around and when I made that putt at 5, I promptly three-putted 6 and flub a chip at 7 and just got it going the wrong way, and when I had opportunities to flip it, I didn't.”

Woods pulled out of the Masters last year after seven holes of his third round with plantar fasciitis. But he insisted he'll be ready to return and see the competition out on Sunday.

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He did, however, concede he was in for a rough Saturday night in order to get his body ready, due to the immense strain currently on him. He said: “My team will get me ready. Club has been awesome. It will be a long night and a long warmup session, but we'll be ready.”

Woods shot an 81 in the third round of the 2002 Open at Muirfield and 80 in the first round the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. It was the second-worst round of his career, matching an 82 at the 2015 Phoenix Open and only behind an 85 at the 2015 Memorial Tournament.

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