Tiger Woods reacts to a missed putt on the fourth green during the third round of the AT&T National golf tournament at Congressional Country Club, Saturday, July 4, 2009, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
(AP)
Then came the 11th hole, which has given Woods fits this week. From the left rough, he hit into a bunker some 50 yards short of the green, caught that shot too heavy and slammed his club when it tumbled into another bunker. Woods blasted out to 7 feet, then missed the putt to make double bogey. He has played that hole in 4-over par for the week.
This one cost him the lead.
He didn't make any mistakes coming in, although he didn't give himself hardly any birdie chances except for the par-5 16th.
"It was a tough day," Woods said. "One of those things you just had to grind it out and get through it. There were a lot of lag putts. I just never had a whole lot of birdie chances."
Woods might need some Sunday playing with Kim, an explosive player who is regarded as the next American star the way he won last year at Quail Hollow and Congressional, then energized the U.S. team in a Ryder Cup victory.
"I'm excited to be there," he said, and it was evident the way he leaned into the microphone and smiled. "I'm excited for the opportunity. There's not too many chances you get to play against the best in the world at his golf tournament. I've won this tournament before, and I don't see why I won't have a good opportunity tomorrow."
He won last year with a 65 in the final round, and when he made the final putt for the victory, Woods was watching — from his couch in Florida, recovering from knee surgery.
"On TV," Kim said. "He was in a different state, which was weird. But he was watching. I would love to play great tomorrow."
(This version CORRECTS SUBS 15th graf to correct Woods' 54-hole record to 45-3.)
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