Woods' woes continue
And a three-over-par 75 left the world number one in severe danger of missing his first halfway cut in 120 tournaments stretching back seven years.
Even after single-putting the last four greens and taking only 26 in all Woods, a lowly 46th in last week's Bay Hill Invitational, was down in 90th place and that was with half the field still out on the Sawgrass course.
Yet the American superstar, having found just six of the 14 fairways and only seven of the 18 greens, still insisted afterwards that things were not as bad as they seem on the surface.
"I don't feel I played poorly, that's the funny thing," said Woods, who trailed early leader Adam Scott by 10 strokes.
"I'm hitting quality shots, but I seem to be in a stretch where all the breaks are going against me."
Asked about the possibility of making an early exit from the event he won in 2001 and finished runner-up in 12 months earlier, Woods commented: "I just don't want to make as many bogeys.
"I just need to get going a bit and if I get into red figures (under par) I will be alright.
"It was important to get something salvaged from the day and I was able to do that at the end."
Woods holed from 15 feet at the 16th and 18th and from 12 feet on the 17th. The first of those was for birdie, the last for par, but in between it was for a bogey four after his nine-iron tee shot flew the near-island green by almost 10 yards and went into the water.
"I was right at it, but I caught the wrong wind," he tried to explain. "That's kind of the way it goes."
Scott, whose swing has been modelled on Woods under coach Butch Harmon, had eight birdies and the last of them on the 447-yard 18th courtesy of a nine iron to three feet put him one ahead of American Duffy Waldorf and two in front of South Korean KJ Choi.
The young Australian was tied third at Bay Hill on Sunday and said: "I'm seeing my game improve and as long as that keeps happening you're going to win some good events and become a great player."
Defending champion Davis Love, who won by six last year, suffered a very unhappy return. After hurting his back in practice Love played the first four holes in five over and did well to cover the remainder in level par for a 77. He was still lying last in the clubhouse, however.
As for the 19-strong European contingent German Alex Cejka came in with a 69 and Sergio Garcia was on the same mark with one to go.
Darren Clarke birdied the first two holes and after slipping back a touch he added another on the 17th to stand two under. However he drove into the rough on the last, bogeyed and had to be content with a 71.
"Could have been better, could have been worse," he said afterwards. "I hit a couple of poor shots and paid the penalty. That's Sawgrass double bogeys are looming everywhere even without hitting a bad shot."
Garcia, on the other hand, pitched to eight feet on the ninth and by making the putt finished with a 68 for joint fourth place. Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer both came in with 71s, but for Ryder Cup captain Langer that was a big disappointment. He was four under with two to go, but double-bogeyed the short eighth and took six on the 583-yard ninth, his last two holes.
Faldo was wearing a magnetic necklace for the first time, explaining: "I've been sleeping terribly and was given it yesterday. I certainly felt a lot better waking up this morning.
"I was very inconsistent, though. I'm struggling with my downswing, but I just kept plugging away."
Paul Lawrie managed only a two-over 74, going into the lake on the 16th with his four-iron second and taking six, but Paul Casey stood one under with two to play.
