Woods crashes to worst ever round

Tiger Woods has carded his worst-ever round as a professional as a 10 over-par 81 at a sodden, windswept Open ended his dream of winning a calendar grand slam.

Woods, who started Saturday on four under par, two shots off the lead after a bogey-free third round 68, ended it six over -- 10 behind the leaders -- after seven bogeys, two-double bogeys and just one birdie, on the 17th.

Battered for much of the round by driving winds and heavy rain, every aspect of the world number one's game was off the mark, with wild drives, overhit approach shots and missed putts leaving a trail of disbelieving fans around the course.

Red hot favourite to add the British Open to his 2002 successes in the Masters and U.S. Open, Woods instead will go out among the back-markers on Sunday.

His previous worst round was a 79 in the 1996 Australian Open while his worst in a major was a 77 in the 1997 British Open -- though he did have a 78 as an amateur at St Andrews in 1995.

"I hit poor shots on a tough day and it added up to a high number," Woods said.

He began his disastrous round by finding the rough on the first for the third successive day, leading to his first dropped shot in 26 holes since the 10th of his first round.

He dropped his second of the day after horribly screwing his tee shot on the 213 yard par-three fourth then missed a six-footer for par to drop to two-under.

He finally found a fairway on the fifth, but promptly followed up with another wild iron into the rough -- a shot that caused him to slam his club down in anger.

After hacking back on to the fairway he overshot the green with his approach and took three more to get down for a double-bogey seven on a hole he had birdied on the previous two days.

OVERSHOT GREEN

Wayward again off the tee on six, he chipped out but then overshot the green again with his approach to drop another.

Another bogey on eight and a short miss for par on the ninth saw him trudge off the green after a woeful front nine of 42.

Things continued to go downhill after the turn where another visit to the thick rough caused him to smash the club into the ground in frustration.

He made bogey and repeated the dose on the 12th after yet again over-shooting the green with his approach then producing a fluffed chip that would have embarrassed a club player.

On the par-three 13th he needed two attempts to get out of a bunker then two-putted from five feet for another double-bogey.

Just when he thought it couldn't possibly get worse he then managed to miss a three foot putt to drop another on the 14th.

As the weather finally eased the American stopped the rot with pars on 15 and 16 before finally securing his first birdie on the 17th.

He greeted it with a celebratory salute to the crowd and a smiling exchange with playing partner Mark O'Meara.

A second birdie chance disappeared on the last when a five foot putt lipped out, to leave Woods smiling ruefully after a day he will not forget in a hurry.

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