OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. - Tiger Woods had a career first on Saturday, but not the kind he wants to celebrate.
Woods shot 75 at Olympia Fields Country Club, his worst U.S. Open score in 26 rounds as a professional.
After starting the third round three strokes behind the leaders, he took 35 putts and ended up at 1-over-par 211. It was 10 more putts than he needed in his second-round 66.
"I didn't play that poorly, I just made nothing," Woods said. "I couldn't get anything going. It was one of those days. I could never get the feel for the line, and even though the greens looked fast they were slow. I could never get myself to hit them hard enough. I kept leaving them short."
Things went bad for Woods from the beginning. He heard a loud whistle during his backswing on his second shot at the first hole and flinched, his shot sailing to the right. He made two bogeys on the front nine, four on the back and just one birdie.
Woods was bidding to become the first to win three U.S. Opens in four years since Ben Hogan in 1950, '52 and '53. Woods won in 2000 and '02.
And it appears he will not win for the fourth straight major championship, the longest stretch since he went 10 majors without a victory between his 1997 Masters win and his '99 PGA Championship title.
WHY NOW? Having not finished worse than 11th in his past six events, Vijay Singh didn't appear to be having problems with caddie Paul Tesori. So it seemed odd he would fire him last week, even though a previous caddie, Dave Renwick, had become available. Renwick caddied for Singh in both of Singh's major titles and recently left Lee Westwood.
"I just needed a change, although I was playing very well," Singh said. "I just needed somebody different on the golf bag. ... I've had success in the majors with Dave, so bringing him on the bag, I just thought it would do me good."
SURPRISE, SURPRISE: Dicky Pride is lucky to be playing golf. Being tied for fifth through three rounds is a bonus.
Pride, 33, who has one PGA Tour win, has returned after suffering gallstone pancreatitis in the spring of 2002.
"It's pretty unbelievable," Pride said of the 66 that put him six shots back. "A year and a half ago I was sitting in the hospital about to die. I'm fortunate."
Pride made it through local and sectional qualifying to play in the Open. "It's all gravy," he said. "When you go through what I did last year, just being able to play is nice."
MONTY'S CONSOLATION: Scotland's Colin Montgomerie came into the Open having missed back-to-back cuts on the PGA European Tour, something he had not done in five years. He admitted it affected him at this tournament.
"My objective here after missing the two cuts in a row was to be here," said Montgomerie, who shot 71 and was at 4-over 214. "That was my objective on the plane, and I fulfilled that, which was good - just. Missing two cuts in a row in Europe wasn't the best preparation coming in here, to say the least. I was glad to make it."
NOT SO EASY: It has been a quiet week for Ernie Els, nicknamed the Big Easy. Off to a fast start this year with two PGA Tour victories in the first two tournaments and two more on the European Tour, Els has slowed considerably. And the two-time U.S. Open champion has had a hard time getting going at Olympia Fields, where he was at 2-under 208, eight behind Jim Furyk.
"I'm starting off slowly," he said. "The first six holes seem to be the birdie holes, and I played them 1 over. I never got on a roll all week. I've just got to be more ready to play, kind of be more into it earlier on."
SMELL THE ROSES: Mark Calcavecchia shot 67 and was tied for ninth. But he wasn't thinking of holding the trophy today. "I have never entertained thoughts of winning this tournament, I don't see why I should start now," said Calcavecchia, who made the cut for the second time in his past nine Opens.
AROUND OLYMPIA FIELDS: Dade City's Tim Petrovic shot 70 and was at 1-under 209. ... After 65 on Friday, Tampa native Woody Austin shot 76. ... Make it 0-for-44 for Phil Mickelson in the major championships. A 75 knocked him out of contention. He was tied for 50th. ... Mike Weir, bidding to become the sixth to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, needs a huge rally. He shot 68 and was eight back.
