The 42 on the front was the worst of his career by two shots.
The 40 on the back nine was a career-worst 2022.
It was a crash landing for the man who entered the week with a 71.1 shooting average around Augusta National. Over the past three years, he has only broken par once and now averages 75.
“The fact that I wasn’t hitting very well or putting well,” was the biggest challenge, Woods said. “I didn’t have a very good warm-up session and kept going all day today. Just hit the ball all the places I know I shouldn’t hit it.
Like at No. 7, where his tee shot went right and left him behind a tree, with no path to the green. This led to a double bogey – the first of his career on this hole.
Or at No. 8, where he pulled his tee shot to the left and had to pitch into the fairway. That led to a double bogey – again his first there – on a hole rated as the easiest of Saturday’s round. It was the only double bogey recorded there in three rounds.
He hit only 5 of 14 fairways and only eight greens in regulation.
“And I missed a lot of putts,” he said. “Easy, doable putts. I missed a lot.
He needed 1.89 putts per hole, after averaging 1.61 in the first round and 1.50 in the second round.
The lack of competition heading into the tournament was evident. Woods played just 24 holes at the PGA Tour’s Genesis Classic before withdrawing due to the flu.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say mental reps, it’s just that I haven’t competed a lot and played a lot,” Woods said. “When I had the opportunity to knock it down and made that putt at No. 5, I quickly three-putted at No. 6 and missed a chip at No. 7 and I I did it the wrong way. When I had the chance to return it, I didn’t.
He was also less than 100% physically after being forced to play 23 holes Friday due to Thursday’s delayed start due to rain. Woods made several swings Saturday that looked painful and more than once appeared to come loose from his club after impact.
Wood said he will return to finish the tournament – although he will be in one of the first groups leaving on Sunday.
“My team will prepare me,” he said. “It will be a long night and a long warm-up session, but we will be ready.”