History Shows That Tiger’s Putting Better Improve To Have A Chance This Week

Tiger Woods U.S. Open

It’s hard to believe a decade has passed since Tiger Woods’ last major win (coincidentally a U.S. Open). Once the world’s best clutch putter, Woods’ game from tee to green is alarmingly impressive but his putting is a whole other sad tale.

For instance, at Woods’ last event (Memorial) he was 1st in Strokes Gained: Approach to green and Tee to green. But his putting finished 72 of 73 players. That won’t do at this U.S. Open venue where 3-putts occur on a fairly regular basis.

GolfWeek’s David Dusek has the historical numbers to showcase what has to be done to win.

The last time the U.S. Open was at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Retief Goosen put on one of the most magnificent putting displays in the tournament’s history. Plenty of fans and pundits remember that on lightning-fast greens, the South African one-putted 11 times in Sunday’s final round. But fewer remember he was one of only five players who never three-putted that week. Phil Mickelson wound up three-putting three times, including a costly three-putt on the 17th hole Sunday that erased any chance of him winning.

Tiger Woods comes to Shinnecock Hills hoping to win his fourth U.S. Open, but he also arrives fresh off his worst putting performance of the season. At the Memorial, Woods missed five putts from 4 feet, 15 putts from inside 10 feet and he three-putted five times. Woods led the field in strokes gained approach-the-green average (2.791) and was third in strokes gained around-the green average (1.244), but his balky putter ruined any chance of winning a sixth time at Jack Nicklaus’ event. For the week, his strokes gained putting average was -1.924.

 

So there ya go. If Woods can keep his drives in the fairway, continue his excellent approach game and avoid a slew full of 3-jacks, he just may have a chance this week.

Anyone buying that?