Augusta, Apr 14: Tiger Woods opened with a bogey for the second time in three days on Saturday. He bounced back with a birdie at the second but launched the ball over the green on the par-3 sixth hole and yelled an obscenity on his way to a bogey. Woods also made bogey at the ninth and followed a double bogey at 13 with a bogey at the 14th to fall from serious contention. "The middle part of the back nine really hurt me," Woods said. "When I put myself in position to make putts or I needed to make them, I didn't make them." Birdies at 15 and 17 were a consolation prize that gave Woods hopeful Sunday fantasties. "I need to go out and get off to a good solid start. If I get under par on the back nine, I'm back in the ball game," Woods said.



"If I shoot a low number, anything can happen on the back nine. There's so much danger out there on the back nine, I can get back into it."



No one has ever made such a rally at Augusta National. The best comeback to win after 54 holes was Jack Burke's rally from eight strokes down to capture the 1956 title.



Woods was counting on high winds and tough pins to help his cause, but it was clear his golf skills no longer had the aura of invincibility they once enjoyed.



"Hopefully the front is coming through and bringing some wind. If it's windy, it will be a difficult day," Woods said.



"It will be interesting to see where they put the pins. They've already used up a lot of their sunday pins."



Practically, every pundit and commentator in golf has suggested Woods needs to fix his swing, noting that Woods has not won a major since the 2002 US Open and a break-up with former coach Butch Harmon.


Bureau Report