Woods way behind as McIlroy and Cantlay share lead at BMW

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods (inset). Pic: Getty Images

Aug 29: Tiger Woods will need to play out of his skin to get into next week’s Tour Championship as he languishes in Tied-58th place after another tough day that produced five-over 75 and took him to 8-over 148 and nine shots behind the leaders, Patrick Cantlay (68) and Rory McIlroy (69) at Olympia Fields, Illinois.

Woods needing to finish around fourth to get into the Top-30 of the FedExCup Standings who are eligible for the Tour Championship faces a big challenge as he is set to miss the season finale for the second year in a row. He had won the same in 2018.

Woods needed a 35-foot par putt on 18th in his 75. The back nine was full of woes for Woods, who had four bogeys between 12th and 16th after a bogey on fifth and a double on seventh. His birdies came on 11th and 17th.

Making up around eight shots in two days is not impossible for Woods but on this course with his game not looking at his best, it would be tough and that will end his season. He will likely be seen in action after that at US Open (Sep 17-20) at Winged Foot and then maybe one more event before the Masters (Nov 12-15) and end 2020 with his own Hero World Challenge in December.

McIlroy worked his way through each shot at the tough Olympia Fields to stay as one of then only two players under par. Cantlay coming into the week as No. 37 in standings

Cantlay, runner-up ls year, and McIlroy, winner of Tour Championship last year, were one clear of Hideki Matsuyama (73) and Dustin Johnson (69) who had contrasting fortunes towards the end. Matsuyama, who had a 67 in first round, dropped four shots over his last 10 holes for a 73 but Johnson finished birdie-birdie for 69.

Cantlay had a good day as he holed a 50-foot chip for birdie and then holed out a 50-yard wedge for eagle on Par-4 11th, but a missed green on Par-3 16th led to a double but he finished with a birdie on 18lth from 40 feet.

McIlroy, whose nine birdies in two rounds so far this week are the most in this field, summed up the course and the play saying, “I think one of the big keys this week is just not making big numbers. If you hit it out of position, get it back in position, make sure that your worse score is bogey and move on. Honestly, bogeys aren’t that bad out here.”

Among those two shots behind was Louis Oosthuizen, who birdied in darkness on the final hole last week at the TPC Boston to move to No. 70 to qualify for the BMW Championship. If he finishes where he is, Oostuhuizen will get to Top-30 and Atlanta for the Tour championship.

Read also:

Woods, six behind leader, needs Top-3 finish to qualify for Grand Finale; Hideki in lead

Woods needs a solid Top-4 finish at BMW to qualify for Tour Finale

 

 

 

 

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