14 August,2011 06:51 AM IST | | Agencies
Former World No 1 makes early exit as new faces bid for glory in season-ending PGA Ch'ship
Tiger Woods is back on the golf sidelines after just six rounds of his latest comeback -- not because he is injured again, but because his game is not good enough.
Tiger Woods misses a putt in Rd 2 of the PGA Championship in
Georgia on Saturday. PIC/AFP
Missing the cut by six strokes at the USPGA Championship in Atlanta means Woods, a shocking joint 116th out of 153 on 10 over par after a 73, will not qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs starting later this month.
By the time he comes back -- his next confirmed event is the Australian Open from November 10-13 -- he might be outside the world's top 50.
Asked if he could consider playing in Europe, he said he might, but the fact that he laughed as he said it was a clear indication that it is not in his plans. "I think I was in nearly 20 bunkers in two days and had four or five water balls (it was four)," Woods said after his worst performance in a major. "Now I'll have nothing to do but work on my game. That's going to be good.
Meanwhile, a group of largely unknown players dominated the leaderboard as top contenders began teeing off in the third round. US Open winner Rory McIlroy was struggling at eight-over for the event after spraining a right wrist ligament in the opening round. Australian Adam Scott, who stood at two-under awaiting his tee time at Atlanta Athletic Club is near the top.
Only three major winners were in Saturday's last 16 pairings, including 2003 US Open winner Jim Furyk, 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa and Davis Love, the 1997 PGA Championship winner and 2012 US Ryder Cup captain.
Arjun Atwal misses the cut
Meanwhile, Arjun Atwal missed yet another Major cut as his second card of 73 was not enough to get him past the halfway mark at the last Major of the season. Atwal had three birdies and six bogeys in a card that gave him a total of 151.
