Tiger Woods’ bid to strengthen his leg and build his fitness impacted on his short game at the Open Championship, according to his caddie Joe LaCava.

A serious car accident almost cost Woods a leg, and it was a long road back to even walking unassisted.

He still looks in pain when walking on anything other than flat terrain, but he appeared in three majors this year.

Woods played reasonably well off the tee, but his normally brilliant short game was well off colour.

He could not get his range with his wedges and he looked extremely uncomfortable with putter in hand. Arguably the finest clutch putter the game has ever seen looked like a weekend amateur.

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LaCava admitted the short game was the reason for the missed cut, and put that down to Woods working on strengthening his body.

“The putting and the short game was not quite there,” LaCava told the Dan Patrick Show. “He is working so hard on getting stronger and healthier, he is working on his long game, working on his endurance.

“The short game has been neglected a little bit.”

LaCava expects Woods to continue to work on strengthening his body and getting more comfortable on his feet, ahead of what he hopes will be a decent schedule in 2023.