Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
- Tiger Woods got into trouble in the final round of the Masters on Sunday when he bogeyed back-to-back holes.
- According to a report, Woods went into a bathroom by himself and privately cursed himself before returning to the course.
- Woods then relied on advice from his caddie about staying focused but loose to make a run and win the Masters.
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Tiger Woods entered Sunday at the Masters in second place, going toe-to-toe with Francesco Molinari, plus a crowded group of near-leaders behind him.
Early into the day, however, it almost all came apart. After making par on his first two holes and birdie at the third, Woods picked up two straight bogeys on Nos. 4 and 5, dropping him three behind Molinari.
According to ESPN's Ian O'Connor, after the second bogey, Woods' caddie, Joe LaCava, cursed at Woods for some sloppy play. Then, Woods himself retreated into a bathroom and privately cursed himself out.
However, according to O'Connor, when Woods went back on the course, he reflected on LaCava's advice earlier in the day.
"Never lose the tenseness, but be loose out there. Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders," LaCava reportedly told Woods.
Woods regrouped in a major way. He made par or birdie on his next four holes. He had another bogey on 10, but had three more birdies on his next six holes, including two huge birdies on 15 and 16.
Woods had some help, too. Four golfers hit the water on 12, giving him the window he needed. He got more help when Molinari hit the water again on 15.
Of course, Woods still had to finish off the round, even as his win seemed all but assured as he walked onto the green at 18. Woods actually bogeyed the hole, when his would-be tournament-winning putt rimmed out. Arnold Palmer once lost the Masters when he double-bogeyed on the final hole. Woods had to avoid that fate.
Woods told himself, according to O'Connor: "Just keep it together. Keep focused. Commit."
He sank the putt. Then, euphoria:
Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
How stressful was the competition?
"Now we know why I'm balding," Woods laughed after the tournament. "This stuff is hard!"
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