Thursday 2 February 2017 12:07, UK
Tiger Woods admitted his opening-round performance at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic wasn’t good enough as his struggle to find form continues.
The 14-time major champion failed to register a single birdie during an erratic five-over 77, two shots higher than his previous worst round in the event.
The world No 666 registered five bogeys on his way to falling 12 strokes adrift of early leader Sergio Garcia, with the 41-year-old frustrated with his start to the week.
"I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn't doing a very good job," Woods told reporters. "At the end I finally hit some good ones but the damage had already been done.
"On top of that, I could have hung in there, I could have shot something near even par if I would have made some putts, but I made nothing.
"I just could not hit the putts hard enough. I left probably about 16 putts short. I just couldn't get the speed of these things, and consequently, it added up to a pretty high number."
Beginning on the back nine, Woods bogeyed two of his opening three holes and slipped further behind when his approach rolled back in to the water at the par-five 18th.
The former world No 1 missed from seven feet at the third and three-putted the fifth for bogey, before failing to save par from five feet at the next.
Birdie opportunities then went begging at the seventh and ninth, with Woods now facing an uphill battle to avoid missing the cut for a second week running.
"Hopefully this wind blows tomorrow and I shoot a good round and get back to even par now," Woods added. "But I have to go out there and do it.
"It's going to be tough and hopefully it is tough and I can play a really solid round, and give myself more looks.
"I haven't given myself a lot of looks at birdies and I need to give myself a lot more looks.
"The last two drives I hit off eight and nine today, there was something different. I need to figure out what I did that was different, and then replicate it for another, hopefully, 54 more holes."
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