U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2020

September 18, 2020

Tiger Woods

Winged Foot Golf Club

Flash Interview

Q. Tiger Woods, 77. What do you take out of these two days?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it's frustrating that I'm not going to be here for the weekend and be able to compete for this great championship. It feels like the way the golf course is changing, is turning, that anybody who makes the cut has the opportunity to win this championship. I didn't get myself that opportunity.

Q. Was there anything that you picked up on over these two days that you can build on? I know Augusta seems like a long ways away, but where is your focus going to be over the next few weeks as far as your game?

TIGER WOODS: Well, probably I'm not going to be swinging a club for a little bit. Well, until Tuesday. And then after that, take a little break. And then refocus and get back after it. There's still one more major to go, and my title defense at Sherwood. We have a couple big, big things ahead of us.

Q. Did this week take a lot out of you physically?

TIGER WOODS: Physically it was frustrating that I didn't drive the ball as well as I needed to. Iron play was pretty much the way it has been. It's been good, and I finally putted well. But on this golf course it's imperative that you hit fairways, and I did not do that.

Q. What did you think of the way the golf course played today?

TIGER WOODS: Oh, it definitely got a little faster and a little more crisp. I haven't seen the board, but I don't think there was many low scores, obviously. The way this golf course is changing and the way it's gotten faster and it's cooler, drier, the greens got a little more bumpy, you know, it's going to be a hell of a test this weekend.

Q. Given that you're going home to your kids now and your family -- I know it's obviously terrible to miss cuts in majors, but is it easier to swallow now than it was maybe 15 years ago?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it's never easy to not be playing for the championship on the weekend. Yeah, now that I have kids, it is -- missing cuts has a different perspective to it, but still, the whole goal of entering an event is to win, and when I don't give myself that opportunity over the weekend, it doesn't feel good.