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Tiger Woods returns to action at The Greenbrier Classic

Tiger Woods - US Open R1

Tiger Woods returns to action at this week’s Greenbrier Classic, looking to forget a horror first half to the year.

The former world No 1 has gained ranking points in just one of six tournament appearances, missing the cut in two events and breaking several career-worst records rather than contend at the top end of the leaderboard.

Aside from a top 20 finish at the Masters, Woods has struggled from one humiliation to another as he continues to plummet down the world rankings, in the field this week as the world No 220, his lowest position in 19 years.

An 82 at the season-opening Phoenix Open was a career-worst until posting an 85 during the third round of the Memorial Tournament, while a first round 80 at Chambers Bay earlier this month was Woods’ highest ever at the US Open.

While Woods remained upbeat after his missed cut in Seattle, telling reporters he was still “excited” about his busy schedule which will see him play three times over the next five weeks, he is all too aware that recent displays have been a shadow of his former self.

 Tiger Woods looks for his ball
Image: Tiger Woods: Never recovered from a first round 80 at Chambers Bay

“Just continue practicing, continue working on it and hopefully it will be a little bit better,” was how Woods assessed what needed to be done to his game, with the 14-time major champion now without a top-ten finish since 2013.

Woods has never posted consecutive missed cuts in his professional career, but heads to The Old White TPC with his only appearance there resulting in an early exit back in 2012.

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Woods struggled in his only other appearance in West Virginia.
Image: Woods struggled in his only other appearance in West Virginia.

That week both Woods and Phil Mickelson failed to qualify for the weekend, with Tiger Woods firing a first round 71 before missing the cut with a second round 69.

At the time, Woods had been in superb form with victories at The Memorial and AT&T National, but struggled with his putter at a course he hadn’t previously seen. It remains to see whether his fortunes will improve this time around. 

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Although Woods is currently in the midst of the longest winless drought of his professional career, opinions are still divided as to whether 39-year-old will ever return to the top of his game.

While Nick Faldo warned earlier this month that Woods isn't comfortable with his shot selection, his niece Cheyenne, a rookie on the LPGA Tour, is confident that his game will eventually come good again, saying last week: "I think he works harder than anyone I've ever met, so I don't think there's any doubt he'll be back.

"It is difficult to watch him struggle, but I don't think there is any doubt that he'll get back to where he was and winning tournaments again and playing great golf.”

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Adam Scott said that we shouldn’t write Tiger Woods off just yet.

Woods' comments were echoed by former Masters champion Adam Scott, who added: “I don’t think we can write Tiger off. We’ve probably been guilty of doing that in the past, but it’s certainly a changing time in golf and he’s less dominant than we’ve known him.

“I think he’s obviously talented enough to come back and win lots more tournaments. Will we see him dominate like that again? We may, or we may not, but it certainly looks like there are plenty of guys pretty hungry.”

Will Tiger bounce back this week? Watch Woods in action at the Greenbrier Classic live from Thursday on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.

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