AKRON, Ohio (Reuters) – Tiger Woods will go into next week's PGA Championship with his game in total disarray and the emotional state of his mind highly questionable after a career-worst performance at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
The American world number one struggled to a stunning seven-over-par 77 in Sunday's final round at Firestone Country Club, his highest final score as a professional, to lie joint second-last in the 80-strong field.
At a venue where he has previously reigned supreme with seven victories in 11 starts, Woods carded two double-bogeys in the last five holes to post an 18-over total of 298.
It was his highest 72-hole aggregate on the PGA Tour, his worst relative to par and the first time since the 2003 PGA Championship he had strung together four rounds over par.
"(I'm) just not playing well," a grim-faced Woods told reporters after completing his round nearly three hours before the leaders were scheduled to tee off.
"Shooting 18 over par is not fun. The only thing I can say all week is I was patient, and unfortunately that's not enough."
Asked if he could recall a similar struggle with his game, he replied: "Absolutely. I went through something like this when I changed my swing in '98 and '99, second half of '97.
"When I kind of tore my swing apart with (coach) Butch (Harmon) basically after the Masters in '97, it took me two years to get it back before I started playing well."
Perhaps the most remarkable comment made by Woods following his dismal Firestone display was that he had not been shocked by his on-course struggles.
