Woods missed sleep over Trump assassination attempt

Venue: Royal Troon Dates: Thu 18-Sun 21 July

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A jaded Tiger Woods arrived astatine Royal Troon aft a sleepless flight, caused by nan attempted assassination of erstwhile US president Donald Trump.

Woods watched sum of nan incident while connected his formation from Florida connected Saturday.

And alternatively than turning up caller for a believe information connected Sunday, earlier this week's 152nd Open Championship astatine nan Scottish links, nan 48-year-old told BBC Sport: "I didn’t execute a batch because I wasn’t successful nan correct framework of mind.

"It was a agelong nighttime [because of nan assassination attempt] and that’s each we watched nan full clip connected nan measurement complete here.

"I didn't slumber astatine each connected nan flight, and past we conscionable sewage connected nan play course."

Woods has nan aforesaid mantra this week that he has adopted passim his career. If he is turning up, he believes he has a chance of winning.

The statistic overgarment a different picture. He missed nan trim astatine some this year's US Open and US PGA Championship, and while he played each 4 rounds astatine nan Masters, he vanished successful 60th - and past - place.

And since winning his 15th awesome astatine nan 2019 Masters, which collapsed an 11-year drought successful nan game's biggest events, he has either missed nan cut, aliases withdrawn, successful 8 of nan 13 championships he has entered. In nan different five, he has not vanished wrong nan apical 20.

He has played conscionable 9 competitory rounds successful 2024, yet he has still attracted nan biggest crowds truthful acold this week connected nan Ayrshire coast.

"I wish I had a small spot much nether my loop but I've been battling immoderate worldly physically," he said.

"I want to prevention it for nan majors. I don't want to pain myself retired pre-major and not beryllium capable to play."

Woods, who has won each 4 fields astatine slightest 3 times, has life exemptions for nan US PGA Championship and Masters, and while he had to trust connected an induce to play past month's US Open, he tin play The Open until he is 60.

It was a constituent he was keen to mention erstwhile asked astir comments made by erstwhile European Tour awesome Colin Montgomerie past week.

The 61-year-old, who lived wrong a short locomotion of Royal Troon arsenic a kid and learned to play nan crippled here, said: "There is simply a clip for each sportsmen to opportunity goodbye, but it's very difficult to show Tiger it's clip to go.

"Obviously, he still feels he tin win. We are much realistic."

In reply, Woods said: "Colin's not a past champion, truthful he's not exempt, truthful he doesn't get nan opportunity to make that decision. I do.

"So erstwhile I get to his age, I get to still make that decision, wherever he doesn't.

"I'll play arsenic agelong arsenic I tin play and I consciousness for illustration I tin still triumph nan event."

Asked if that belief had wavered during his struggles pinch wounded successful caller years, Woods replied: "No."

Montgomerie has since posted a consequence to Woods' comments, penning connected X: "If Golf writers want my thoughts connected Tiger please inquire maine direct, alternatively than taking a quote from an question and reply retired of context. Wishing Tiger an enjoyable and successful week."

Woods played his first Open arsenic a master astatine Troon successful 1997, conscionable 3 months aft winning nan first of his awesome titles astatine nan Masters.

Justin Leonard came from 5 shots backmost successful nan last information to declare nan Claret Jug. Woods had started nan time 8 backmost and still had an extracurricular chance of challenging erstwhile he walked connected to nan eighth tee.

The iconic 123-yard par-three 'Postage Stamp' is nan shortest spread connected nan Open rota - and could beryllium trim to 99 yards should nan upwind let - but is arguably 1 of nan astir pivotal.

It was ruinous for Woods, who buried his shot successful a bunker pinch his first changeable and walked disconnected pinch a triple-bogey six.

"It's a elemental spread but it doesn’t return overmuch of a correction to salary a terrible price," he said.

"No matter wherever you deed it extracurricular of nan green, it's not going to beryllium an easy changeable to get it backmost connected to nan green.

"It doesn't matter which bunker you're in, each are difficult shots conscionable to get nan shot backmost successful play and person a putt for par, much apt make a bogey, and get retired of there."