AP
Darkness forced the suspension of the U.S. Open's final round Sunday.
"It was a long day for all of us," said Woods.
Woods started the final round at 6:25 p.m. ET off the first tee with 24-year-old Michael Sim of Australia. With wind kicking up in his face and light rain falling, Woods pushed his drive at the downhill, sharp dogleg right, and wound up in heavy rough behind a tree. He had no choice but to chip back into the fairway and couldn't escape without a bogey.
Woods rebounded quickly with a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-4 second. He gave a 20-footer a good run at the par-3 third, but the ball slid right at the hole.
At the reachable-in-two par-5 fourth, the easiest hole in the tournament, Woods found the fairway and went for the green with a 3-wood. But the ball plugged near the face of the front bunker, leaving him no option but to play well right of the pin. Clearly frustrated, Woods blasted to the back of the green and did well to two-putt for a par.
Woods drove into the left rough at the par-4 fifth, then hit a nice approach and two-putted for a par. As has been the case most of the week, he just missed a two-foot birdie putt at the par-4 sixth.
At the par-4 seventh, Woods drove well. Just before he hit his second shot, a horn sounded, signaling the suspension of play for the day. Woods and Sims had the option to finish the hole, and they did.
Woods knocked his second shot from 213 yards within 10 feet of the hole and poured in the birdie putt. That brought him to even par for the tournament for the first time since the 14th hole on Thursday.
"I hit the ball well again," said Woods. "It was nice to end on a birdie on one of the most difficult holes all week."
Woods will resume his final round Monday at 9 a.m. on the eighth tee.
"The weather was very cooperative and hopefully it will be tomorrow," he said.