LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tiger Woods is back in action this week at a course where he’s won a major championship.
The 15-time major winner teed off on the 1st hole at 2:49 p.m. ET alongside Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley on Friday afternoon at Valhalla Golf Club for the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship, the 106th playing of the PGA of America’s flagship event. Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla and missed the cut his last time here in 2014.
In Thursday’s first round, Woods avoided quite a few bogeys thanks to his trusty putter but then three-putted on his final two holes to shoot 1-over 72 on a rather docile day in the Bluegrass State. Check out his second-round 6-over 77 at the 2024 PGA Championship with shot-by-shot analysis from Valhalla Golf Club below.
Tiger Woods walks the bridge from the ninth tee to fairway with caddie Lance Bennett during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
Looking at Thursday’s round, it should’ve been better thanks to a couple of great looks for birdie that were missed on Nos. 4 and 5 and that pair of three-jacks on Nos. 8 and 9. It also could’ve been worse had it not been for some clutch par saves on the back nine.
At 1 over, Woods will need to battle to make the cut (top 70 and ties) which currently sits at even par. On the pro side, he’s gotten plenty of rest since he walked off the course early yesterday afternoon for his surgically repaired body to recover. On the con side, it’s been raining all day. It’s chilly and a little windy. He won’t be comfortable and will need to hit fairways if he has any chance (on Thursday he hit 9/14) to take advantage of the soft greens.
The best score from the morning wave is 4 under so far, so birdies are out there. Will he be fit enough to find them is the question.
Tiger Woods lined up his putt on the 14th hole during the first day of play in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
Tiger’s best stat from Thursday was his T-1 in sand saves where he was 3-3. Outside of that … not so great. He ranked 115th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (-0.652) and 104th in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (-0.908). He was T-52 in proximity and hit just 13 of 18 greens.
Given Friday’s conditions, he should be able to attack more greens and improve that last number, but he’ll need to be in the short grass to do so.
Tiger Woods plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
And we’re off! Tiger pulls his headcover Frank off the driver on the first tee and rips a cut down the middle. Smooth first swing to get the day started, and that thing was piped a good 306 yards. From 191 yards out Tiger flew his approach shot right over the flag and got it to check up and leave a 13-footer for birdie. Good roll here with his first putt and went for it but just ran it by the hole for a tap-in bogey. He’s walking slowly off the green but no limps or visible discomfort … yet.
Tiger Woods plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Missing fairways can be costly at any course, especially this course given the conditions. Tiger then proceeded to compound the mistake after his tee ball missed the short stuff in the left rough here at No. 2.
His approach came up short in the rough and he hacked his third into the bunker between his ball and the green. He then airmailed the green and hit into another bunker wit his fourth shot. His fifth finally found the dance floor but he still needed two putts to find the cup and mark down a triple-bogey seven.
Tiger Woods of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 17, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The pin at No. 3 today is tucked away in the back and Tiger hit his tee shot where I am at a wedding: the middle of the dance floor. His birdie attempt from 59 feet ran past the hole and his comebacker missed the cup as well. That’s a third three-putt in his last five holes. Bog