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Tiger Woods shot a one-over-par 73 on day three of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool to slip to three-over for the tournament, then admitted: I made too many mistakes.

The former world No.1 had five birdies, a bogey, a double and a triple in an eventual third round to lie tied for 58th and a distant 19 shots adrift of runaway leader Rory McIlroy.

Consequently, he’s on course to post his worst finish in the Open since he missed the cut at Turnberry in 2009. His worst finish in the championship as a professional when he has played all four rounds is tied-28th at Muirfield in 2002.

“This week, I’ve made two doubles and two triples but, on top of that, I missed a lot of opportunities for birdies and, consequently, I’m three-over,” said Woods, who is making just his second start since the beginning of March after back surgery.

“You can’t run up high scores like that and expect to contend.” – Tiger Woods

“I’m starting to get the flow of the round, the flow of playing again but, still, I’ve just made too many mistakes. You can’t run up high scores like that and expect to contend, especially when the conditions are this benign. Most of the scores are three-under or better. I certainly didn’t do that.”

Woods has come in for a lot of criticism for his behaviour on and off the course over the past few years but he earned some credit today by wearing a black ribbon on his cap in memory of Scotland’s Bob Torrance, who passed away yesterday.

“I’ve known him a lot over the years,” said the 38-year-old. “Even from amateur days when I came over here, he was fantastic to me. We had a lot of great conversations about golf. It was always fun picking his brain about the game, how it’s evolved and how he believed it should be played. I’m going to miss him very much.”

Tiger Woods at Hoylake :: Your thoughts

Champion in 2006, Tiger Woods won’t be lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool this time around. But what is your take on the way he has played this week? Leave your thoughts in our ‘Comments’ section below.

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor