It was one hole that arguably undid 71 holes worth of premium work by Tiger Woods.
Woods' 11th hole on Sunday reminded the golf world that he still has what some experts continue to call "the yips," which is the biggest barrier in his way to returning to his once-dominant form, Golf.com reported, citing reaction to his 10th-place finish at the Wyndham Championship.
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The former No. 1 triple-bogeyed the par-4, 486-yard hole, thanks in part to what Woods described as a "muffed chip," according to USA Today Sports. It's that shot that has kept the skeptics second-guessing Tiger's return to grace.
"Most of the week when he was faced with short game shots Tiger opted for an airborne option -- a flop shot or semi-flop -- that allowed him to take a fuller swing," Golf.com managing editor Eamon Lynch said.
"Guys with the chip yips can still execute those shots without flinching. When faced with a required chip shot on Sunday, the yips were exposed anew. Hank Haney made the astute point after the Masters that having the yips does not mean that one yips every time the opportunity presents itself, but the fear and possibility is there. That's painfully evident in Tiger's game. In many ways he is much improved since his awful start to the year, but the chipping issue remains and seems more psychological than technical."
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Added Sports Illustrated senior writer Alan Shipnuck: "If he had made 18 pars today it would feel more like progress, but the triple bogey that took Tiger out of the tourney was so wretched it has to leave more scar tissue. And it's further proof that the chip-yips live inside of you like a sickness, just waiting to bloom at the worst possible time."
Woods described his struggles on the hole with self-deprecating humor, USA Today Sports reported. It shows a kindler, gentler Woods than the one who was No. 1 in the world, but it also could be seen as a defense mechanism for his mental demons.
"I pulled my tee shot just a touch," he said of his nightmarish 11th. "Hit a five-iron from the rough, hit it high on the face left. A blade and muffed chip. Then I putt too hard and pulled a six putt. I made the seventh which was solid, right in the middle of the hole."
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