Tiger Putter Change Pays Off

Photo: Getty Images
Story: Ben Evrill  |  PGATour.com

In the final round of the 2018 Quicken Loans National, Tiger Woods changed his putter and it improved his short game as he carded three birdies on his front nine.

BETHESDA, Md. – Tiger Woods may have missed some crucial putts from inside 10-feet at the Quicken Loans National but the 79-time PGA TOUR winner called his putter change a success and will take significant confidence from TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm.

With rounds of 70-65-68-66 Woods finished at 11 under and in a tie for fourth but was 10-shots short of champion Francesco Molinari’s dominant performance.

This was despite matching Molinari’s tournament leading 21 birdies. (Molinari also had one eagle).

While a win was his ultimate goal Woods shelved some of his disappointment and was looking ahead to his next start at The Open Championship in Carnoustie.

Woods changed from the blade style putter that helped him win 13 of his 14 major championships to a mallet style this week and was able to rank seventh in the field for Strokes Gained: Putting.

It came after a handful of tournaments with little to no success on the greens.

“I've hit the ball well in this stretch, I just haven't made anything. And finally I'm starting to hit some putts, I'm starting to make those putts you're supposed to make from 10, 15 feet, but I'm also making some from outside 20,” Woods said.

“I haven't done that for the better part of two months. So that was nice to make over 100 foot of putts twice this week. That's a positive sign.”

While he did indeed make some lengthy putts he still missed 13 from inside 10 feet, ranking last of those players who made the cut.

Despite this Woods still claimed the putter was a winner.

“It felt good to start my ball on the lines again. I'm starting to see it, starting to feel it, and I had the pace pretty much good all week,” he said.

“The putts I missed, I hit a lot of good ones, which I don't mind because I hadn't been doing that for the better part of two months. Even my good ones didn't look very good, so this was nice.

“When I was struggling there for a little bit and I couldn't even cheer for my good ones. I really like the swing of this putter. I like feeling that toe move. It makes a big difference.”

Woods started the final round six shots off the lead and with an outside chance of notching up PGA TOUR win No. 80.

With three birdies on the opening nine holes he had thoughts of posting a number.

“I was only four back at the time when I made the turn and so I thought that maybe if I got on the back nine, I shot 30, maybe 29, that would be enough,” Woods said.

“Evidently, I would have to shoot 24 on the back nine … Francesco is just running away with it.”

He didn’t shoot 24. Or 29 or 30.

It was a 1-under 34 with three birdies and two bogeys.

Critically he played the easier 13th and 14th holes 1 over for the second-straight day.

“I bogeyed 13 twice and then didn't birdie 14 either day and I was right there next to the green,” Woods lamented.

“Those are things that I can't afford to do and expect to win a golf tournament.”