Tiger Woods shoots career-worst 78 at Masters as hopes fade in 3rd round

Tiger Woods used to turn weekends at Augusta National into gripping theatre, relentlessly charging up the leaderboard one fearless drive, one feathery iron, one nervy putt at a time.

Not now. Maybe not ever again.

The magic the five-time Masters champion summoned so easily for so long was nowhere to be found during another laboured four-plus hour journey underneath the Georgia pines on Saturday. His 6-over 78 marked his worst in 93 career rounds at the tournament he has come to define and left him at 7-over.

The limp from his surgically repaired right leg growing more pronounced with each deliberate, cautious step, the 46-year-old slipped further down the leaderboard to end whatever chance — however unlikely — of being a factor come late Sunday afternoon.

Once a fighter, always a fighter