TIGER WOODS NARROWLY missed out on a fairytale victory in his return to competitive golf on Sunday after a final round birdie blitz came up short at the PNC Championship family tournament in Florida.
Woods, playing in his first event since suffering career-threatening injuries in a car crash 10 months ago, reeled off 11 consecutive birdies alongside his 12-year-old son Charlie to card a 15-under-par and finish on 25-under-par in the two-round tournament at the Ritz Carlton Golf Course in Orlando.
However the Woods duo were unable to close with a 12th birdie on the par-five 18th hole, settling for par and missing the chance to put the pressure on two-time major champion John Daly, playing with his son John Daly II.
The Daly duo eventually closed with a birdie to match the Woods’s second-round 57 and finish on 27-under-par for a two-shot victory.
A weary Woods, who almost needed to have his shattered right leg amputated after his car crash in Los Angeles in February, said afterwards he was simply grateful to be playing again.
“I’m just happy and thankful that I’m able to do this,” Woods told NBC television.
“I still have my own leg, which was questionable for a while, and it’s functioning. I’m just really tired – I’m not used to this.
“I think this might be only my fourth or fifth round of golf this year. I’m a little worn out. It was nice to have a cart.”
Woods said he and his son had set a pre-tournament target of playing two bogey-free rounds which they had achieved.
“Our whole goal for the two days was don’t make any bogeys – last year we made two – and we didn’t make any,” Woods said.
“We felt we’d have to birdie every hole on the back nine to have a chance. It got interesting and a little tight towards the end, which was fun.”
