Woods finds preparation is way off course

Tiger Woods prepped for a Bethpage Black that would be firm and fast. But rains have rendered the course soft and slow.

“This is a different course than what we prepared for,” he said. “I hit a four-iron on No. 7 that was head high that only [released] 10 feet on the green. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a U.S. Open before.”

Worth noting for superintendents who want to Tiger-proof their course: Just add water.

“It’s just different,” Woods said after failing to convert several medium-length birdie putts during a third-round 68. “It’s more like what we face week in and week out. It’s certainly not the U.S. Open [because of] the conditions.

“But you have to adapt and be more aggressive. Look at what they’re doing -- a bunch of 64s, a couple of 65s. The guys are just tearing this place apart.”

At other Opens, Woods’ 54-hole total of one over par would have put him in contention, if not the final group.

Not this year.

He began the final round nine shots behind Ricky Barnes and went to bed trailing Barnes and Lucas Glover by seven after a birdie on No. 7. Woods has never won a major when trailing after 54 holes.

--

Unhappy Poulter

England’s Ian Poulter apparently wasn’t happy after a third-round 73.

He posted a photo on Twitter of a mud-caked ball with this tweet: “Perfect drive on 10th 235 yards to go into the wind. And that’s what you get . . . Perfect 3 wood straight right into bunker.”

Bloggers wondered whether shooting the photo represented a violation of Rule 14-3, which bans the use of an “artificial device or unusual equipment.” The answer is no.

“The photo didn’t give him any added information,” rules official Wendy Uzelac said. “He didn’t break a rule. But posting the photo was kind of interesting.”

--

Tap-ins

The Monday finish will be the first on the PGA Tour this season. . . . If there’s an 18-hole playoff, it’s slated to begin after 12:30 p.m. . . . Fred Funk pointed out a Bethpage flaw: The 10th tee is about a mile and a quarter from the clubhouse. “Ten is so inaccessible,” he said. “They had to change tee times because of how much time it’s taking for people to get back and forth.”

--

tgreenstein@tribune.com