Tiger Woods says he is playing in the Bahamas in December

Tiger Woods said Tuesday he is playing his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first week of December, which would be his first competition in more than 15 months if he follows through with it.

Woods left himself open to doubt by entering the Safeway Open last month, only to pull out three days later when he said his game was not ready.

“I am excited to make my return at the Hero World Challenge at Albany and play in this terrific tournament,” he said in a news release that announced the 18-man field for the unofficial tournament that awards world ranking points but is not part of any tour.

Woods is the tournament host of a holiday event that began in 1999. He is a five-time winner, all of those victories coming at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, before the tournament moved to Isleworth in Florida and then to the Bahamas.

Woods, now at No. 831 in the world ranking, last played in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015 when he tied for 10th. He had two back surgeries over the next few months and has said he would not return until fully healthy.

He initially said in early September that he planned to play the Safeway Open and Turkish Airlines Open. Woods withdrew on the Monday before the Safeway Open, saying his health was good and his body felt strong but that “my game is vulnerable and not where it needed to be.”

He also pulled out of Turkey.

The Hero World Challenge features players from the top 50 in the world, with an exception made for Woods as the tournament host. The 16 qualifiers came from the top 25 in the world ranking that was published the week after the Tour Championship.

The lone sponsor exemption was given to Zach Johnson, who won the event in its last year at Sherwood by holing a shot for par from the drop area on the 18th hole to force a playoff that he won against Woods.

The tournament will be missing at least the top two players in the world — Jason Day, who is taking the rest of the year off to rest his back, and Rory McIlroy.

Still to be determined is whether U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson plays.

Johnson, who is No. 3 in the world, will be in the Philippines on Tuesday of the tournament week (Nov. 29) for an exhibition with McIlroy. He would have to fly straight from there to Los Angeles and then the Bahamas, arriving in Nassau on Wednesday morning in time for the pro-am. His manager said Johnson has not decided if he will try to play.

More games: friv

Tiger Woods makes appearance at school career day, does not feel compelled to overdress

We have so many questions about these pictures of Tiger Woods making an appearance at career day at daughter Sam's school, but let's start with the basics.

First off, the outfit. OK, we get it, you're a Nike loyalist to the bone. But if we're to be completely honest, we were hoping for a little more effort. Even most of the third graders are wearing a collared shirt. The only acceptable excuse is that he arrived at school fresh off a four-hour workout as he prepares for his return to golf.

-- How detailed did Tiger get when discussing his career to the class? Did he go blow-by-blow breaking down the 2000 PGA against Bob May? Was there an obligatory "Steiny" reference? How much time did he spend discussing the finer point of "traj control"?

-- This picture suggests a portion of the program when things got testy. Potential sensitive topics broached: what exactly Tiger does all day; best Palm Beach-area back surgeons; Y.E. Yang.

Regardless, good to see Woods upright and appearing relatively fit. Here's hoping he has some new material to work with at next year's career day.

Charting the Biggest Comebacks and Collapses in Major History

The Economist recently published an article detailing their EAGLE system (Economist Advantage in Golf Likelihood Estimator), which projects how golf tournaments will finish, likely better than anyone has before, even noted statistician Ken Pomeroy. It's very complicated (you can read the explanation here) and requires some top-of-the-class mathematics lingo to explain, but the graphs it produces are perfectly blunt.

Using 15 years worth of major championship data, and over 400,000 golf holes, the system has highlighted the worst collapses (as well as the craziest comebacks) in golf history. Atop the list are Adam Scott at the 2012 British Open and Jordan Spieth at the 2016 Masters, but we already knew that.

The system can also be used to show the most improbable outcomes, like Keegan Bradley's 2011 PGA Championship victory, where he rose from the slimmest of single-digit chances to claim the Wanamaker Trophy. The article listed Bradley's win as a 1-in-10,000 type of result, which was second most imporbable behind Y.E. Yang's '09 PGA Championship win. Below is Bradley's win-expectancy chart from that event.

The system can also be used to show the most dominant performances in recent history, like Rory McIlroy's first major championship win at the 2011 U.S. Open. According to EAGLE, McIlroy had nearly a 90% chance of winning the event after just 36 holes. For context, any golfer reaching 60% win expectancy after just two rounds is rare. Only Tiger Woods ('02 U.S. Open, '09 PGA Championship) and Jordan Spieth (2015 Masters) had been able to do so in the past 15 years. Below is McIlroy’s 2011 U.S. Open graph.

It is worth noting that EAGLE is aiming to become even more robust a system moving forward. As outlined late in the article, The Economist hopes to adjust its algorithm to include player streakiness and recent play in the future.

Five times the US Open lived up to its fearsome reputation

Oakmont is set to provide a daunting test for the world's best golfers in this week's US Open.

Here are five other occasions when the year's second major championship has lived up to its fearsome reputation.

Winged Foot (1974)

A year after Johnny Miller won the US Open with the first 63 in major championship history, the USGA exacted swift revenge in such a fashion that the tournament became known as the Massacre at Winged Foot. Gary Player was the only player to match par in the opening round and not one player was under par after any round. Fifty-four-hole leader Tom Watson collapsed to a closing 79 as Hale Irwin won the first of three US Opens on seven over.

Shinnecock Hills (2004)

Retief Goosen's winning score may have been four under par, but runner-up Phil Mickelson was the only other player in red figures and the final round saw 28 of the 66 players fail to break 80 on a par-70 layout. A combination of extremely dry conditions, fast greens and a questionable pin position even led to a stoppage of play while the seventh green had to be watered mid-round.

Winged Foot (2006)

Thirty two years after Hale Irwin's victory on seven over par, Australian Geoff Ogilvy backed into a first major title when Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickelson all made a mess of the 72nd hole. Furyk only bogeyed, but Montgomerie made a double bogey after a perfect drive and Mickelson also took six to leave Ogilvy alone on five over. "I think I was the beneficiary of a little bit of charity," Ogilvy admitted.

Oakmont (2007)

For the second successive year five over par was good enough for victory as Angel Cabrera held off the challenge of Furyk and Tiger Woods. Cabrera and England's Nick Dougherty were the only players to break par on day one, while 54-hole leader Aaron Baddeley collapsed to a closing 80.

Oakland Hills (1951)

Ben Hogan won the US Open for the second year running on seven over par after a three-under 67 in the final round, prompting his famous quote: "I'm glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees." Runner-up Clayton Heafner's closing 69 was the only other sub-par score all week.

Bad blood: Tiger Woods' exes still at odds

Both of Tiger Woods’ exes, Elin Nordegren and former girlfriend Lindsey Vonn, were making the rounds over Kentucky Derby weekend — and party organizers were ordered to keep the two blondes apart.

While Nordegren and Vonn have been friendly in the past, party organizers were instructed not to seat the Olympic skier anywhere near the former Mrs. Woods, we hear.

The pair crossed paths a night before the big race at Friday’s Barnstable Brown Foundation Gala, which was also attended by Kate Upton, Jon Voight and Megyn Kelly.

We’re told Swedish beauty Nordegren, who divorced Woods in 2010 after his myriad affairs were uncovered, then headed to breeder Black Rock Thoroughbreds’ Fillies & Stallions party to join guests including Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and singer Joey Fatone, with Vonn arriving not far behind.

“The staff was being told over a walkie-talkie that Lindsey was on her way over and must be put in a different area from Elin,” said a source. “They were very clear about that.”

Vonn — who dated the golf superstar from March 2013 until May 2015 — had problems getting into the event because she had been issued the wrong wristband. But once inside, we’re told she sat with girlfriends in a separate VIP area, well away from the mother of Woods’ two children, Sam and Charlie.

According to insiders, former gold medalist Vonn was also very insistent that she didn’t want photographers to take her picture at the fête.

We’re told the two women have a complicated relationship. “Elin really liked Lindsey because the kids really liked her,” said a source close to Nordegren, adding that if Vonn wanted to keep her distance at the party, it would likely be an attempt to avoid any media storm created if there were pictures of them partying together.

But a rep for Vonn insisted that she didn’t ask to be seated away from Nordegren, adding the two women are on “great terms” and spoke at different events over the weekend.

Tiger Woods' agent squashes rumors, confirms client hasn't been at Augusta

There have apparently been numerous rumors this week that Tiger Woods has been doing undercover prep work at Augusta National this week for the 2016 Masters.

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, told Bob Harig of ESPN that the aforementioned reports are simply not true.

This is not really a big surprise. But such is life when you're Tiger Woods and social media rumors exist. I would be shocked if Woods showed to play the 2016 Masters. Of course, I thought many of the same things late last year and Woods dropped a top 20 on us after a few months off.

This time feels much different, but who knows. Maybe we will see Tiger stalking the grounds looking for win No. 5 there. He hasn't announced he's not playing ... yet ...

In 2014, Woods announced he wouldn't play nine days before the tournament started. We are currently 12 days away, so I would expect something next week on Woods' status for this year's tournament.

Woods has insinuated he will attend the Champions Dinner this year regardless.

The last time we saw Tiger at Augusta. (USATSI)

Spieth's recent stretch demands comparison to Woods

KAPALUA, Hawaii – As one player spoke with a gaggle of reporters following his round on Friday, a celebration erupted from the ninth green just down the hill at Kapalua.

“That’s the boy,” the player mused with a healthy dose of awe.

“The boy” was Jordan Spieth, the PGA Tour’s 22-year-old wunderkind who continues to surprise despite a resume that already includes two major bottle caps and a half dozen victories. His eagle at the par-5 ninth on Friday vaulted him into a commanding lead at the 2016 lid lifter and he’s really not looked back since.

The boy wonder set out on a windswept Saturday at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions with four-stroke advantage and picked up three consecutive birdies starting at the fourth before dropping his first shot of 2016, a bogey that was the result of a wicked bounce in a bunker on No. 8.

“I started out the day with just kind of an off range session. I wasn't feeling great,” said Spieth, who closed with a 65 for a 25 under total. “[Nos.] 8 through 11 was a tough stretch for me striking the ball. But we still played those holes 1 over when it could have been worse. We made up for it.”

But even when Spieth gives the field a glimmer of hope it’s starting to feel like borrowed time.

Following his bogey at No. 8, Spieth also failed to birdie the par-5 ninth and Brooks Koepka picked up two shots with birdies at the 14th and 15th holes to cut the lead to one shot.

Spieth’s answer was quick and undeniably clear, a birdie putt at No. 12 from Oahu (actually it was 46 feet) that dropped with a sheepish grin and innocent shrug followed by two more birdies at Nos. 14 and 15.

Despite a charging effort from Koepka, who posted with a 10-under 63 in the week’s toughest conditions, Spieth maintained a healthy advantage to fuel his burgeoning aura.

Comparisons to Tiger Woods and his dominance have all turned out to be wildly unfounded. There have been Tiger-like performances in recent years (see McIlroy, Rory 2014) and Tiger-ish seasons (Spieth 2015), but sustained preeminence is hard.

Spieth’s last 10 months, however, demand comparisons to Woods at his best, no matter how unfair they seem.

Since winning last year’s Valspar Championship in March he has five Tour victories, including career-defining triumphs at the Masters and U.S. Open.

Along the way he added five runner-up finishes and a FedEx Cup title. By any definition, that is Tiger-like.

It’s etched into the leaderboard and the faces of his frat brothers every time he converts a crucial putt, like his 9-footer for eagle at the last to close his round on Saturday for a five-stroke advantage.

“I know what it feels like to be Jordan Spieth now, I guess, shooting 10 under every round,” Koepka laughed.

Spieth’s name atop a leaderboard may not be worth a half a stroke a side like some say it was for Woods once upon a time, but there is no denying that his continued excellence is starting to inch its way into the collective psyche.

“I tell you what, you can't make a lot of mistakes,” said Brandt Snedeker, whose 65 on Saturday was his best card in 14 trips around the Plantation Course but still left him nine shots back.

“I played a couple practice rounds with him this week and he just hits so many quality golf shots. And when he doesn't, his short game is so good he doesn't make any bogeys.”

Whether this is the new normal remains to be seen, and to be historically accurate Woods achieved his status after a decade of stellar play, but three rounds into the new year it’s hard to see any weaknesses or blind spots in Spieth’s game.

Spieth plays to his strengths, avoids the big miss and though he might not make every putt he steps to, he certainly holes the ones that matter.

He’s won on fescue greens (U.S. Open), bent (Masters) and Bermuda grass (Tour Championship), and seems to play better when the conditions are most demanding.

Although he’s far too modest to ever admit it, he seems to sense his building mystique among the rank and file.

“When Tiger’s in contention, why is his record so phenomenal? Well, sure, he played the best golf and he was the strongest mentally, but everyone else knew that he could do it and maybe tried to do a bit too much and then they're out of their own sync,” said Spieth, who has now led or been in second place after all seven rounds he’s played at the Tournament of Champions.

“In no way, shape, or form am I comparing where I'm at to what he's done, but I think that any time someone continues to win or close a deal, it just starts to put it in your head.”

With a Houdini short game and a putting stroke that travels, Spieth has emerged as a singular talent. Whether he’s bound for the heights that Woods reached depends on what transpires over the next decade or so, but he’s certainly headed down a familiar road.

Jordan Spieth may seek out Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson for No. 1 advice

Jordan Spieth got to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the PGA Championship, and then he lost his spot to Jason Day two weeks later. Spieth, however, ended 2015 atop the ranking and, with a five-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, appears poised to widen the gap between himself, Day, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the golf world.

Now that it seems Spieth might be at No. 1 for a while, the 22-year-old suggested it might be time to pick the brains of his peers, including Tiger Woods and McIlroy, as well Phil Mickelson, who has never held the No. 1 spot in his career but had been a mainstay in the top-10 for the better part of 20 years.

“I think it would be wise to ask more questions than I do,” Spieth said, according to Golf Channel.

“I haven’t received a whole lot of advice on staying there, other than keep on trying to win tournaments. I mean, the more you win the higher up in the rankings you’re going to stay.”

However, Spieth, a player who tees it up more often, at least at this stage of his career, than past No. 1 players, also wants to figure this out for himself.

“I’m trying to figure some of that out on my own because everyone is different," he said. "But I do think there is something in asking someone like Tiger a lot of questions on how he’s been able to do it.”

First Tiger Woods-designed U.S. golf course opens for play

Tiger Woods can't play golf after two back procedures in as many months, but Bluejack National, Woods' first U.S. course as a designer, opened for play on Thursday.

Only seven holes were unveiled, when nearly 100 members took to the course. The full layout is expected be ready by early 2016.

The course is in Montgomery, Texas, near Houston.

"For this day to finally come is very exciting," said Bryon Bell, president of Tiger Woods Design, via Golf.com. "It's really important for this course to finally be open, and the real payoff is to hear the members talking positively about it."

Woods worked on the layout design with former Tom Fazio associate Beau Welling.

"Sometimes architects give lip service to a playable, walkable course, but that's what we did here," Welling said. "We want people to enjoy the game and walk the course and that is what is happening. People said golf takes too long, but if it's fun, people will do it for a long time."

The official opening to members was Thursday, but former President George W. Bush got to play a special Monday preview round. Busch was accompanied by friend and land developer Michael Abbott. They played the seven-hole loop in 40 minutes, according to Golf.com.

Tiger Woods' first U.S. course opens for play

Tiger Woods may not be able to play golf following two back procedures in as many months, but Bluejack National, Woods' first course as a designer to debut in the U.S., opened for play on Thursday.

Only seven holes were unveiled Thursday, when nearly 100 members took to the course. But the full layout is expected be ready by early 2016.

“For this day to finally come is very exciting,” said Bryon Bell, President of Tiger Woods Design, via Golf.com. “It’s really important for this course to finally be open, and the real payoff is to hear the members talking positively about it.”

Woods, who wasn't able to attend the opening because of his back, worked on the layout design with former Tom Fazio associate Beau Welling.

“Sometimes architects give lip service to a playable, walkable course, but that’s what we did here,” Welling said. “We want people to enjoy the game and walk the course and that is what is happening. People said golf takes too long, but if it’s fun, people will do it for a long time.”

The official opening to members was Thursday, but a familiar face got to play a special Monday preview round. That player was former President George W. Bush, who played with his good friend and land developer Michael Abbott. Bush and Abbott played the seven-hole loop in 40 minutes, according to Golf.com.

You Can Buy A Bugatti House On A Tiger Woods Golf Course

Dubai is known for its obscene displays of wealth, and the tradition is continuing with the new Bugatti-inspired houses from DAMAC Properties.

Starting at a very reasonable 35 million Dirham (that’s just $9.5 million USD!), the homes - er, excuse me, villas - “are conceptualized by the designers of the world’s fastest street-legal production car, the iconic 1,200hp Bugatti Veyron and stylishly reflect its distinctive curved front,” according to the press release.

The DAMAC release goes on to say, “The design also includes an indoor vehicle display area, with glass panels through to the living quarters, so you can admire your car from the comfort of your sofa.” You know, so you can look at your Bugatti in your Bugatti house.

In case Bugatti-ception isn’t luxurious for you, the villa is situated on a golf course designed by Tiger Woods and adjacent to “the region’s first Rainforest,” because apparently if you’re rich enough, you can put a Bugatti house in the rainforest in a desert.

It’s unclear how many horsepower the house will have, but we do know someone who might be interested in buying it.

Tiger Woods is officially entered in Frys.com Open field

As was expected, Tiger Woods is officially committed to the Frys.com Open as of Friday. This will be his first tournament of the 2015-16 PGA Tour season. Woods' name was listed on the Frys.com Open website player list.

Why is Woods playing the Frys.com Open?

Well, it has to do with a trip he made to Turkey a few years back for a cash grab and a side agreement that he would play this tournament at some point in the future.

The future is here and Woods will join Rory McIlroy and others in the middle of October for what will be an abnormally huge tournament in the middle of football season.

We'll see Tiger Woods early this year. (USATSI)

How does Jordan Spieth's year compare to Tiger Woods' record-breaking 2000?

Jordan Spieth won the first two majors of the year and narrowly failed to make it three, but how does his performance in 2015 stack up to the record-breaking Tiger Woods campaign of 2000?

Masters

Woods arrived at Augusta on the back of three wins and three runner-up placings in seven starts, but he endured a torrid first round as he posted a 75 including two double-bogeys. He struggled again on day two and looked in danger of missing the cut - a 72 getting him into the weekend with nothing to spare, and nine shots behind leader David Duval. Woods rallied with a best-of-the-day 68 on Saturday, but a six-shot deficit was too much to make up as he could only match the final-round 69 of impressive victor Vijay Singh.

Things didn't go to plan for Tiger in the 2000 Masters

Spieth set the pulses racing with a stunning, opening 64 that was a remarkable three shots better than anybody else, and the young Texan followed up one superb round with another as a flawless 66 extended his lead to five shots. His 36-hole score of 130 set a new Masters record, tied the major championship best, and his five-stroke lead also equalled the tournament record. Spieth set a new Masters benchmark for the 54-hole score at 200, and another 70 on the final-day completed a four-shot win and matched Woods' 1997 Masters record of 18 under par, although he missed a five-foot par putt on the last to miss out on the outright best. The first wire-to-wire winner since Ray Floyd in 1976 also became the first player in Masters history to reach 19 under when he birdied 15, while his 28 birdies over the week set another record, beating Phil Mickelson's previous mark by three.

Spieth slips on the Green Jacket after his record-breaking Masters win

US Open

Woods produced arguably the finest performance of his career at Pebble Beach, blitzing the field by a remarkable 15 shots and breaking several records in the process. He was in a class of his own throughout the tournament, opening with rounds of 65 and 69 to open up a six-shot lead at the halfway stage. Despite an early triple-bogey in round three, Woods salvaged a 71 in brutal conditions - only Ernie Els broke par - and set a new 54-hole record with his 10-shot lead. The final round was a procession as Woods closed with a flawless 67 to finish on 12 under - the first double-digit winning score in US Open history. His aggregate of 272 tied the tournament record, which was previously set on par-70 courses, and his 15-shot win remains a major championship benchmark that may never be surpassed.

Woods was in a class of his own at Pebble Beach, winning by a remarkable 15 shots

Spieth found himself tied for the lead at the halfway stage at Chambers Bay after rounds of 68 and 67 got him to five under with Patrick Reed, who faded on day three as Spieth's steady 71 retained a share at the top with Jason Day, Branden Grace and Dustin Johnson. Spieth suddenly found himself three clear of the field after a birdie at 16, but he opened the door when he double-bogeyed the next. He hit the par-five 18th in two and two-putted for birdie, but Johnson birdied 17 and knocked his second to 12 feet at the last. Johnson's putt for the win scuttled four feet past, and he missed the return to gift Spieth his second straight major.

Spieth lifts the US Open trophy following Dustin Johnson's last hole mishap

Open Championship

More records tumbled as Woods became the fifth player in history, and the youngest, to complete the career grand slam of all four majors - appropriately at the Home of Golf. A second round 66 earned him a three-shot lead at halfway and he never looked like buckling over the weekend. A 67 on Saturday doubled his lead, and a rock-solid closing 69 completed a comprehensive eight-shot victory. His winning score of 19 under remains a record for any major championship.

Tiger Woods moved half way towards the 'Tiger Slam' with an emphatic eight-shot win at St Andrews

The one that got away from Spieth this year as he finished just a shot out of the eventual three-man play-off at St Andrews, won by Zach Johnson. Spieth began with a confident 67, but he struggled to combat the blustery conditions during a second round that took two days to complete and returned a 72 that left him five behind leader Dustin Johnson. But he bounced back with a sparkling 66 that got him within one of the lead heading to the last day, and a birdie at 16 lifted him into a share of the lead. However, he failed to save par from 10 feet at the treacherous Road Hole and was unable to find the birdie he needed at the last to get into the play-off.

Spieth battled the elements at the Old Course and came up one short of a place in a play-off

PGA Championship

Woods made it three majors in a row, but unlike his dominant performances in the previous two, he was pushed all the way by American journeyman Bob May before prevailing in a play-off at Valhalla. Woods and Scott Dunlap jostled for the lead over the first two rounds, with the holder earning a one-shot halfway advantage after adding a 67 to his opening 66. Woods remained one clear after a third round 70 as May surged into contention with a second straight 66, and he made it three on the bounce to pile the pressure on the favourite. But Woods got up and down from sand at the last to tie, and a birdie and two pars in the three-hole play-off proved enough to retain his crown.

Tiger Woods held off a valiant challenge from Bob May at Valhalla

Another near-miss for Spieth, who replaced Rory McIlroy as world No 1 despite falling short in his bid to become only the third player in the modern era to win three majors in a calendar year. An uncharacteristically average day with the putter saw Spieth open with a 71, before moving up the leaderboard with a much-improved 67. Spieth went in to the weekend five shots off the pace, but birdied six of his final eight holes to close a bogey-free 65 and move within two of Day. Playing in the final pairing, Spieth was unable to gain any serious ground on the Australian as Day closed out a convincing three-shot victory. 

Spieth couldn't prevent Jason Day claim a maiden major title.

Tiger Woods misses out at Wyndham Championship

Davis Love becomes the third oldest winner in PGA history after fourth round of 64

The wheels came off Tiger Woods’ Wyndham Championship challenge in the final round at Greenboro

Davis Love shot a superb final-round six-under 64 to become the third oldest winner in PGA Tour history at the Wyndham Championship.

The 51-year-old finished on 17 under par — one shot clear of Jason Gore — to win the event for the third time as Tiger Woods’ challenge fell away after a triple-bogey seven at the 11th hole.

The former world number one also bogeyed the next but recovered with four birdies to card a level-par round of 70 and finished four shots adrift of Love on 13 under.

Love, however, did not make the best of starts as he bogeyed the opening hole but responded to that disappointment in the best possible fashion with birdies at the next three holes.

He then sunk an eagle three at the par-five fifth before following up with yet another birdie.

He dropped his second shot of the day the seventh to turn in 31 and an eagle at the 15th was enough to keep him out in front.

Woods, who failed to qualify for the FedExCup play-offs with his tied for 10th-place finish, made a solid start, turning in a level-par 35 after one bogey and a birdie.

But disaster then struck with that triple bogey at 11th and another dropped shot at the next and, although he turned things around, the damage had already been done.

Overnight leader Gore birdied the fourth before dropped shots at the 13th and 14th appeared to end his bid for victory but an eagle at the 15th gave him hope.

He had a long putt for birdie on the 18th to force a play-off but could not convert the opportunity and Davis held on for victory.

“Any victory now is going to be really sweet when you’re over 50,” Love told pgatour.com.

He trails only Sam Snead, who won his last Greensboro title when aged 52 in 1965, and Art Wall on the PGA Tour’s age list.

“To have your name thrown out there with Sam Snead at any point is incredible,” Love added. “For some reason, this tournament has been good to guys in my age group.”

Woods, meanwhile, had appeared poised to challenge on Sunday morning but ultimately his round of 70 meant he fell well outside of the cut-off point of 125 he needed to reach to qualify for the FedExCup play-offs.

“I gave myself a chance, and I had all the opportunity in the world today to do it,” Woods said. “I didn’t get it done.

“I just wasn’t able to get any kind of roll early. I had my chances to get it going. I just never did.”

Tiger Woods deserves Firestone exemption, says Jordan Spieth

Tiger Woods and Firestone go together like, well, Tiger and Torrey, or Tiger and Bay Hill, but the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational show will go on without the 8-time winner for just the 2nd time in Woods’ career.

Tiger Woods has lifted eight of his 79 PGA Tour trophies at Firestone Country Club, which makes his absence from this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational unfathomable to David Feherty.

"Tiger not at Firestone … it’s like a nativity scene without one of the wise men," the golf analyst and wit told Dave Shedloski earlier this week from the site of the final tuneup for the PGA Championship.

Feherty, who believes Woods made progress in his T18 finish last week at the Quicken Loans National (his best close since a T17 at Augusta), was not the only golf watcher to rue the lack of the former world No. 1 at a course he has dominated throughout the years. In fact, Tiger pal and a Bridgestone favorite, Jason Day, pretty much lobbied for WGC organizers to present Woods with a lifetime achievement award for his other-worldly performances on the Akron track.

"You win the bloody tournament eight times, you probably should," Day said on Tuesday about Woods earning his way in through some sort of special exemption for players who have won an event so many times.

"It's kind of weird to not see him playing the events that we're usually used to seeing him playing. This is one of those events that he plays well and wins a lot here," Day observed. "Eight times, it's just amazing to even think about. Some guys are just hoping for one WGC win, let alone eight times at one venue."

Second-ranked Jordan Spieth, the winner of two grand slam events this season, echoed Day's sentiments.

"I’m surprised, given WGC has more impact on world ranking, has more impact on FedEx Cup, has more impact in general, that there isn’t some form of a category like there is for majors," Spieth said on Wednesday from Firestone. "Not even just that it’s this one specifically, but if you win a certain amount of them or whatever -- I mean, I don’t know how they’d do it, but I think that it is a bit surprising."

Woods, himself, did not quite know what to make of the predicament that left him on the outside looking in at those teeing it up this week in Ohio.

"I'm not playing Reno [Barracuda Championship] this week or Bridgestone, which is kind of interesting because I've won Bridgestone, what, eight times and I'm not eligible. I didn't qualify," he said during Monday’s media day promoting next month’s Deutsche Bank Championship. "You get into those big events by winning golf tournaments. Fortunately enough, I've won the PGA a few times and I'm going to be able to play in that event."

But not the Bridgestone, thanks to his plummeting from the top of the world rankings to his current 262nd place. Thursday’s start to the contest will mark just the second time in his career that Woods will have missed the Firestone tilt, after injury kept him out of the competition in 2008.

And while Woods noted that there was no complex formula to getting into the DBC and the other three FedEx Cup playoff games ("Just win" at Whistling Straits), doing so on a course that has been his stomping grounds over the years has not been the easiest of feats of late.

Woods has won at Torrey Pines and Bay Hill eight times each as well, and has earned seven titles at Doral. Even such personal playgrounds, though, have not been kind to the 14-time major champion recently as he struggles to regain a semblance of his old form.

Here’s how Tiger has fared in the past two years at three venues he had previously conquered:

Torrey Pines (Farmers Insurance Open)

• 2014 — first 54-hole missed cut of his career
• 2015 — Withdrawal

Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer Invitational)

• 2014 — Did not play
• 2015 — DNP

Doral (WGC-Cadillac Championship)

• 2014 — T25
• 2015 — DNP

Despite his illustrious history at Firestone, recent results illustrate that no one knows how Tiger would have done this week, but Feherty, for one, will miss watching him bid for a record ninth victory.

"It’s extraordinary to watch him at his best, and it’s equally extraordinary when he’s at the bottom," Feherty said. "He never does anything more than about 8,000 percent."

This week, as Day tees it up with Rickie Fowler in the first two rounds at Firestone, and Jordan Spieth tries to topple an injured Rory McIlroy from his No. 1 world ranking throne, Woods will likely be giving 8,000 percent to honing his eye-foot coordination with daughter Sam and son Charlie.

"All I do these days is play soccer with my kids," Tiger said last week. "That’s all I do, run, run, run around playing soccer."

Tiger Woods: It's frustrating not winning

GAINESVILLE, Va. – Tiger Woods has been down this rocky road before.

It’s one of the few things he’s got going for him these days.

Ten days removed from missing the cut in the British Open on the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, Woods, who is ranked No. 266 in the world, returned to the PGA Tour for this week’s Quicken Loans National at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

In a familiar refrain, this week’s tournament host spoke to the frustration he’s feeling inside the gallery ropes, the patience he’s testing to get through another swing change and his decision to remain steadfast to the change through his current troubles.

“I've gone through this before and unfortunately sometimes I have to get a little bit worse before I can make a giant stride to get forward and get better,” Woods said Tuesday after a practice round. “Has it been fun going through this? No, it hasn't because I'm not scoring obviously

“ … I've had chances to make those runs and I just haven't done it.”

Unless Woods wins this week, he won’t be in the field for next week’s Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, where he’s won eight times. If he doesn’t win, his next start would be the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis. If he doesn’t do well there, he won’t make the FedExCup Playoffs and will turn his attention to the start of the 2015-16 season in October.

Woods struggled through swing changes in the past before going on historic runs with coaches Butch Harmon and Hank Haney. He notched eight wins in 2012-13 after another swing change with Sean Foley. But since switching to swing consultant Chris Como in November 2014, he hasn’t won. In fact, he hasn’t won since the 2013 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and his world ranking is the lowest it’s been since September 1996.

This season, he has as many missed cuts and withdrawals (4) as he does cashed checks. He missed consecutive cuts in majors for the first time in his pro career. He has five rounds in the 60s and three in the 80s.

Upon leaving St. Andrews, Woods spoke to concerns about coming up short on so many approach shots and his need to check his “numbers and spin rates.” After a week off in which he went to the Bahamas with his two children and went diving every day, he got back to work.

“When I geared back up, I started doing some testing and found a couple little things but it wasn't anything major, which was nice. It was just some of my swings just weren't quite right and I worked on a few things and feel pretty good now,” Woods said. “ … Things are starting to come together. Again, I'm sticking with it, sticking with the process and just trying to make progress each and every day.”

Woods has already played 32 holes since arriving here and put in an additional 2 hours, 20 minutes of work on the range Monday. He’ll play another 18 in Wednesday’s pro-am. He’s hoping to play 72 more starting Thursday.

“It's frustrating not to be able to win golf tournaments. I'm not really there in contention very often and so that part is frustrating. But I know how close it feels and I know that I just need a couple shots here and there and it turns the tide,” Woods said. “People don't really realize how close it has been between a person who is winning and a person missing the cut. It's not as big a gap as people might think. … Obviously I’ve got to clean up my rounds, convert the opportunities that I have and I just haven't done it and hopefully I can do it this week.”

Woods’ lost season in 2014 could be attributed to his back surgery. This season, he was still recovering from the back surgery and then had to deal with chipping woes that set his long game back. Now everything is a go.

“I haven't scored very well. I missed cuts. I haven't done much in the last couple years and I haven't played a whole lot of golf in the last couple years,” Woods said. “That's what Joey (LaCava, his caddie) keeps reminding me of. ‘Would you just relax? You haven't played that much. You think about it, the times you have played and when you've been healthy how many tournaments have you been healthy at? It's not that big a number.’ Also he keeps reminding me I won five times two years ago, and so it's not that far removed."