UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — On one hole, Tiger Woods hit three consecutive sand shots as if he were practicing on the strand of an endless beach. On another hole, he missed a 4-foot putt for double bogey because he tapped the ball so meekly it almost did not reach the cup. On yet another hole, Woods chunked a pitch in the high rough and then released the club so that it helicoptered behind him.
On his final hole, he came within a centimeter or two of missing the ball entirely.
Woods has perhaps played worse rounds of golf in his life — he shot an 85 about two weeks ago — but on a big stage he has never looked as bad as he did Thursday at the 115th United States Open.