Woods struggles with putting at St. Andrews

Tiger Woods couldn't get the putts to fall in Round 3 at St. Andrews.

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ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Tiger Woods’ new Nike putter hasn’t been hurled into the Firth of Tay yet, but it soon might be.

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British Open (Rd. 3)

Players battled the Old Course at St. Andrews under beautiful weather in Round 3 of the British Open.

On a day when he was “driving it beautifully,” Woods took 35 putts around the Old Course at St. Andrews, including three three-putts, and shot 73 for the second consecutive day. At 3-under 213, he was 11 shots back of Open Championship leader Louis Oosthuizen and looked to be a long shot to win his 15th major title.

He said his poor performance on the greens – 99 putts through 54 holes – had nothing to do with his new flatstick, rather his speed on the greens. He had back-to-back three-putts on Nos. 13-14, and three-putted again after driving his ball onto the green at the par-4 18th, the second consecutive day he’s reached the 357-yard home hole from the tee.

“I’m playing better than my position,” Woods said. “I certainly have had a lot more putts on the greens than I ever have, and that’s something that has basically kept me out of being in the final few groups.”

A slow start has also hampered Woods. He started bogey-bogey in the second round, and was 2 over on his round Saturday until finally making a birdie on No. 9. It’s not like he hasn’t had chances, however. He missed a makeable birdie at No. 1, lipped out for birdie at No. 2 and rolled another birdie putt past the hole at No. 3.

“If those go in, it’s a whole different ballgame, Woods said. “Hopefully tomorrow I can get some kind of momentum going early.