Woods turns in his worst 72-hole score

DUBLIN, Ohio – One day after the worst score of his career, Tiger Woods played the final round of the Memorial just like it was any other Sunday.

He wore his red shirt. He played at the same pace. He tossed blades of grass in the air to judge the wind and crouched to read important putts. The only difference was he played as a single. He even removed a flagstick by himself when his caddie was busy raking a bunker.

“Just because I’m in last place doesn’t change how I play golf,” he said. “Whether it’s the first day or last day, doesn’t matter. Play all out.”

All out didn’t get him much.

Woods followed his 85 with a rough finish – two double bogeys over the last four holes – for a 2-over 74. He finished in last place at Muirfield Village, a course where he has won five times, and posted the highest 72-hole score of his career at 302.

He conceded that it was humbling to shoot an 85 before thousands of fans. But he didn’t sound as though he was about to panic about his future. Woods chalked the score up to working on a new swing, and one of those days where he couldn’t make up his mind which swing he had.

“This is a lonely sport,” Woods said. “The manager is not going to come in and bring the righty or bring the lefty. You’ve just got to play through it. And that’s one of the hardest things about the game of golf, and it’s also one of the best things about the game of golf. When you’re on, no one is going to slow you down. When you’re off, no one is going to pick you up, either. It’s one of those sports that’s tough. Deal with it.

“For us, unfortunately, you have those days and they’re five hours long,” he said.