Tiger Woods wiped away tears amid emotional scenes as he was cheered the full length of the 18th hole on Friday on what he says “feels like my last time” playing the Old Course in an Open Championship.
No matter that the former world number one was about to miss the halfway cut at the landmark 150th staging of the world’s oldest major, the standing ovation was recognition of his standing in the game.
Woods has won two of his three Claret Jugs at the revered St Andrews venue and skipped last month’s US Open to ensure he would be fit to play his favourite course this week.
The 46-year-old did not say it would be his final Open Championship, but added: “I came to understand what Jack [Nicklaus] and Arnold [Palmer] felt in the past and I felt that way. They understand what golf is all about and what it takes to be an Open champion.
“I have been lucky enough to win here twice – it felt emotional because I don’t know whether I will be able to play when it comes back here.”
The Open usually returns to St Andrews every five years, which would make the next one in 2027, although an official announcement is yet to be made.
Woods finished with a three-over-par 75 for a nine-over total, 22 shots adrift of clubhouse leader Cameron Smith.
The Australian had six birdies and an eagle in an eight-under-par 64 as he improved to 13 under at halfway.
An opening six-over-par 78 in round one left Woods saying he would “need a 66” to make the weekend. That would have been a tall order were the 15-time major winner in good health, but nigh-on impossible given he is still feeling the after-effects of the car crash in February 2021 that almost cost him his right leg.
A smile flashed across his face after a birdie on the third. But all thoughts of that 66 were extinguished by bogeys on the fourth and sixth holes.
A run of nine pars followed before he tried a flop shot over a greenside bunker on the 16th and only succeeded in sticking his ball in the sand, walking off with a double-bogey six.
Regardless of his performance, Woods was cheered round the links by thousands of fans eager for a glimpse of the man who has had such a huge impact on the game over the past quarter of a century.
He was playing with Matt Fitzpatrick, who triumphed at Brookline in June to win his first major. And the Englishman and playing partner Max Homa paused to let Woods cross the iconic Swilcan Bridge alone and acknowledge the adulation.
“It gave me goosebumps,” said Fitzpatrick. “Just looking around, seeing everyone stood up, and giving him a standing ovation coming down 18. Yeah, it was incredible. It’s something that will live with me forever.”
Woods had to compose himself before playing his final chip over the Valley of Sin, muttering “come on, come on” to himself. He nudged the ball to within four feet but then missed the birdie putt.
Fitzpatrick also missed a birdie putt but he signed for the 66 that Woods had craved, to reach six under at halfway.
Scoring goes low in calm conditions
Just as Woods was finishing up around 15:00 BST, Rory McIlroy was heading down the first, starting his second round on six under par.
He will have seen those that had gone out early carding low scores in drizzly conditions that helped soften up the greens.
Former world number one Dustin Johnson, who has been suspended by the PGA Tour for joining the LIV Golf Series, shot a five-under-par 67 to set the initial pace on nine under.
The two-time major winner is one ahead of current number one Scottie Scheffler and England’s Tyrrell Hatton after they shot bogey-free rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.
Australia’s Adam Scott, who threw away victory a decade ago at the 2012 Open, carded the lowest round of the morning starters with a bogey-free 65 lifting him into a group on seven under.
However, when the sun came out mid-afternoon and the wind died away, Smith took advantage with five birdies in his opening eight holes. The world number six, who won the PGA Tour’s flagship Players Championship at Sawgrass in March, then holed a 64-foot eagle putt on the par-five 14th to move further clear.
Unheralded American Cameron Young, who led overnight on eight under, was among those out in the later wave, and he birdied the last to complete a three-under 69 and finish on 11 under.
Play is expected to finish around 22:00 BST.
