VIDEO PLAYLIST 
- Tiger Falls Short
Tiger Falls Short
- Tiger Takes Share Of Lead
Tiger Takes Share Of Lead
- Both Sides of the Ball with Anthony Mackie
Both Sides of the Ball with Anthony Mackie
- Harig: Tiger’s Swing Turning The Corner
Harig: Tiger’s Swing Turning The Corner
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The steady, plain fool around which noted Tiger Woods‘ golf by his initial 3 rounds of the year in the Middle East unexpected as great as surprisingly left him Sunday.
Attempting to win an central eventuality for the initial time in twenty-six months, Woods instead accomplished third to unheralded Robert Rock, an Englishman who won for usually the second time in his European Tour career by capturing the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Rory McIlroy accomplished second, the shot during the behind of Rock, who bogeyed the 18th hole to win by the shot over the Northern Irishman.
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Leaderboard
1. Rock (-13)
2. McIlroy (-12)
T-3. Bjorn (-11)
T-3. McDowell (-11)
T-3. Woods (-11)
Rock had never met Woods before to Saturday as great as had never played the golf contest with such the glare, even in winning his usually alternative pretension final year during the Italian Open.
“This has been an extraordinary week for me,” pronounced Rock who shot the final-round 70 during Abu Dhabi Golf Club as great as accomplished in the tip 10 for usually the 10th time in the 10-year career; Woods has 83 worldwide victories together with fourteen vital championships.
But Rock was the most steadier player, relating Woods’ early birdies as great as afterwards vouchsafing the former No. 1 player in the universe have mistakes.
“I usually felt we was the hold off,” pronounced Woods, who can during slightest explain he has right away been in the tip 3 — with an unaccepted feat — in his past 3 stroke-play events. “Obviously the idealisation idea is to win as great as we didn’t win. we played great sufficient we suspicion to win the golf tournament. Unfortunately we usually didn’t get it done.”
Woods had done usually dual bogeys streamer in to the final round, though done 3 Sunday; he strike 46 of 54 greens by 54 holes, afterwards managed to strike usually 5 during the final round. He accomplished with an even-par 72.
Harig: Tiger On Course
After his tie for third in Abu Dhabi, the unavoidable subject remains: Is Tiger Woods back? A closer demeanour during his week says not yet, though he’s not distant off, writes ESPN.com’s Bob Harig. Column
It all led to the unsatisfactory day for Woods, who was clearly staid to win for the initial time in an central eventuality given capturing the 2009 Australian Masters.
Woods won the Chevron World Challenge final month, an unaccepted contest which benefits his substructure though the single which does endowment universe ranking points.
Woods unsuccessful to win when land during slightest the share of the final-round lead for the ninth time in 64 worldwide opportunities.
He blew the 4-shot lead to Graeme McDowell during the 2010 Chevron. It has occurred usually 4 times out of 52 tries upon the PGA Tour, the final being his detriment to Y.E. Yang during the 2009 PGA Championship.
Or an additional approach to demeanour during it: It was the third time in his final 5 tries which he mislaid the 54-hole lead.
It could additionally be called the bit of the beating for universe No. 3 McIlroy, who began the day dual strokes behind of co-leaders Rock as great as Woods though could not request the required pressure.
A two-shot chastisement in Friday’s turn for the drifting inapplicable designation nearby the immature was in conclusion outrageous for McIlroy.
“You’ve got to take the positives,” pronounced McIlroy, who plays again in dual weeks during the contest in Dubai. “It’s the initial week of the year, second year in the quarrel here which I’ll finish second. But still the really great proceed to the deteriorate as great as something I’ll set up on.”
Rock had joked upon Saturday which he approaching to be “cacking” himself — British jargon for contaminated — personification with Woods. “I’m not certain how most nap I’ll get, either,” he said.
But Rock was plain — even after Woods got the outrageous mangle by holing the 50-foot birdie putt during the second hole, the standard 5 he had played poorly. Woods afterwards strike his second shot unbending during the third hole, though Rock suited his birdie as great as the twin was tied.
But Woods followed with uninterrupted bogeys as great as it was the onslaught the rest of the way. He pulled inside of the cadence with the birdie during the ninth, though bogeyed the par-5 10th. Rock did him the preference by bogeying the 13th, though got the 2-stroke value behind with the birdie during the 14th.
Woods, usually the bit off with his tee shots, was incompetent to put upon the required vigour over the shutting holes. He had pronounced Saturday he indispensable to put together the plain round, which even standard would not do it.
And he was right.
Woods skipped the PGA Tour eventuality during Torrey Pines to accept an coming price to fool around in Abu Dhabi for the initial time. He will have his PGA Tour entrance Feb. 9 during the ATT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Bob Harig is the comparison golf bard for ESPN.com.
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