Tiger woods

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 09: Tiger Woods of the United States walks after hitting his second shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on August 09, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo:Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP)

Woods needed just 25 putts in the fourth round after taking himself out of contention with a frustrating third round where he said he was unnerved by greens that putted slower than they looked.

So the 15-time major champion lowered his expectations, saying his goal in the fourth round was to match the colour of his final day wardrobe and shoot in the red. His three-under on Sunday got him to a one-under 279 total.

“My irons were a little bit more crisp and I hit better putts,” said Woods. “I made a few early on, and just kind of kept the momentum going.

“It’s something I hadn’t done the last two days, and it was an under par tournament score, which I was saying that’s what I wanted to do. I made it happen today.”

The 44-year-old Woods ended up saving his best round for last. While it was a feel good finish, his play this week wasn’t enough to get back to the top of the leaderboard and an afternoon tee time.

“I fought hard, and today was more indicative of how I could have played on Friday and Saturday if I would have made a few putts early,” he said.

– ‘That’s golf’ –

“That’s golf. We lose way more tournaments than we win.

“This is one of those weeks where I didn’t quite make the putts when I needed to, and I missed a couple shots on the wrong sides.

“But overall, I had one three-putt for the week and I had no doubles, and that’s always something that you want to do throughout 72 holes of a major championship.

“Unfortunately I’m not there with a chance this afternoon.”

Woods was pleased he was able to grind out a strong finish, even if his game wasn’t quite sharp enough to get him to the winner’s circle at the TPC Harding Park.

Another good sign going forward is that his aching back held up under pressure.

“Overall the body reacted pretty good,” he said. “The best thing to do is stay out of the rough and not have any of those jarring shots.”

Woods said the players are still getting used to the condensed schedule and playing tournaments in new times slots.

The PGA Championship was originally scheduled for May 14-17 and this was the week set aside for the Summer Olympic golf tournament in Japan.

“This is unlike any other year that we’ve ever experienced in golf. A lot of unknowns, and it’s very different,” Woods said.

“We never had a schedule like this before. No one has ever experienced this, having a shutdown during the year.

“Trying to figure out how we’re going to deal with the restrictions, the policies that are on board, the adjustments that we’ve made as the Tour has comeback.

“I know that we have a couple weeks off, and a lot of the guys are looking forward to those couple weeks to get ready for Winged Foot (US Open).”

In this file photo a tow truck recovers the vehicle driven by golfer Tiger Woods in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on February 23, 2021, after a rollover accident. Tiger Woods was driving at nearly double the 45 mph speed limit when he crashed in California in February, Los Angeles County’s sheriff said on April 7, 2021. Woods’s SUV flew off the road at up to 87 miles (140 kilometers) an hour and flipped several times during the accident in Ranchos Palos Verdes, leaving the 45-year-old, 15-time major champion with a shattered right leg.(Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

Woods’s SUV was travelling at up to 87 miles (140 kilometers) an hour before it flew off the road and flipped several times during the accident in Ranchos Palos Verdes, leaving the 15-time major champion with a shattered right leg.

“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva.

“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour.”

There were “no signs of impairment,” or evidence of any “distracted driving,” and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.

Woods, 45, may have inadvertently hit the gas instead of the brakes upon losing control, Captain James Powers said, although Woods himself does not recall the incident.

Both officials said the golfer had not been given any special treatment, and that he was not cited for speeding because there were no witnesses or police present at the time. Woods will not face criminal charges.

The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Powers.

Investigators did not check Woods phone or test his bloodwork because there was “no evidence of any impairment or intoxication,” Powers told a press conference.

The serious leg injuries sustained by Woods have raised fears for the future of his astonishing career.

The star, whose 82 US PGA titles are level with Sam Snead for the all-time win record, won the 2019 Masters for his first major title in 11 years to complete an astonishing comeback after multiple back surgeries.

Following the crash on February 23, he underwent hours of surgery to repair his shattered lower right leg and ankle, which included the insertion of a rod into his shinbone and screws and pins to stabilize the joint.

He is recovering at his home in Florida and will not compete in this year’s Masters, which begins Thursday.

– ‘Hazardous’ –

Woods was in the Los Angeles area for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club, and was driving a courtesy car on the morning of the crash.

Powers dismissed claims Woods had been observed driving erratically earlier that morning, telling reporters that video surveillance footage showed the golfer travelling at normal, safe speeds at the beginning of his journey.

Sheriff Villanueva described the stretch of road as “hazardous,” with multiple people approaching it with way too much speed for the conditions” due to the road’s design.

The district supervisor was planning to introduce traffic control measures to reduce speeds, he said.

Woods has previously been involved in infamous driving incidents.

In November 2009, he smashed his car into a tree and a fire hydrant outside his luxury Florida home, sparking a series of scandalous revelations that doomed his marriage and put his game in freefall.

In May 2017, he was arrested near his home for being asleep at the wheel of his car in a traffic lane. Woods said he had taken prescription drugs and pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

Processing goods for exports (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s wood industry secured 63 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth 372.68 million USD in 2020, down 36 percent and 49 percent on-year, respectively.

According to a research by a number of organisations, including the non-profit organisation Forest Trends and the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association ( VIFOREST ), these foreign projects came from 14 countries and territories such as China and the Republic of Korea.

Wood processing drew most of the foreign investments, with 274.81 million USD in 41 projects.

Meanwhile, a total of 193.64 million USD were added to existing foreign-funded projects, decreasing 3 percent on-year.

Regarding export, FDI enterprises continued to show their superiority compared to domestic ones, with 653 firms or 18 percent of the industry’s total exporters. They posted a turnover of 6 billion USD, accounting for 51 percent of the industry’s total. Meanwhile, 2,676 domestic companies recorded just 5.9 billion USD in export value.

According to To Xuan Phuc from the Forest Trends, the superiority can be the results of differences in production and capital scale, as well as technology and management./.

Pham Thi Hong Quang, general director of Viet Source Handicraft Co., Ltd, introduces her virtual showroom on the HOPE platform. Effectively exploiting online marketing and sales channels has contributed to help Vietnamese wood processing firms receive abundant export orders despite Covid-19. — VNS Photo Xuan Huong

Having received an order worth US$920,000 to export kitchen products and household appliances to South Korea soon after the Lunar New Year, Duc Thanh Wood Processing Joint Stock Company is optimistic about its export revenues and profits this year.

Nguyen Ha Ngoc Diep, its deputy general director, said, “This year, we have set an export target of $17 million, up 15 per cent from 2020, but we already achieved nearly 50 per cent of it by the end of February,.”

Tran Lam Son, deputy general director of Thien Minh Production-Trading and Export and Import Co., Ltd., said his company has export orders for until the end of May.

Nguyen Van Sang, CEO of Furnist Furniture Company, said: “We have orders for until the middle of the year, and 30 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

“Orders for furniture exports have risen significantly this year, especially from the US. Besides, we have also focused on developing new models and looking for new markets.”

The company’s furniture exports last year were worth $5 million, he added.

Nguyen Chanh Phuong, deputy chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City, said despite the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic wood and forestry product exports increased by 16.4 per cent last year to $13.17 billion, and they are expected to top $14 billion this year.

According to the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, exports were estimated to be $3.94 billion in the first quarter of this year, with the US, Japan, China, the EU, and South Korea being the biggest markets.

Many wood processing companies have invested in production technology, improved product quality, effectively exploit online marketing and sales channels so they still received abundant export orders despite Covid-19, Phuong said.

HAWA launched HOPE (HAWA Online Platform for Exhibition) last year to connect furniture suppliers with global buyers at a time when many trade fairs and exhibitions were postponed or cancelled due to Covid, he said.

It offers 3D images of showrooms, factories and workshops, a 3D product catalogue, social apps to enable 24/7 interaction between exhibitors and visitors, digital marketing, life events, and others.

Diep said: “As people were stuck at home due to the pandemic, the demand for home furniture increased, as did the number of customers shopping online.”

“Many large foreign buyers have increased sourcing from Vietnamese firms due to the US-China trade war and confidence in the quality of Vietnamese products,” she said.

Thanks to this and getting on board HOPE, her company has found many new customers, she said.

Pham Thi Hong Quang, general director of Viet Source Handicraft Co., Ltd, said investing in online channels is very important.

Online marketing helps prevent spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to take part in fairs and exhibitions in other countries and offers great efficiency, she said.

Her company enjoyed a 40 per cent rise in sales last year thanks to transforming its marketing methods and proactively changing production to meet the requirements of purchasing systems, she said, adding that it expected to sustain that growth this year and find many new customers on HOPE.

Son, who is also a member of HAWA’s executive board, said: “Three years ago, when international buyers visited furniture producing countries in Asia, they chose to visit China first and then Viet Nam.

“But now they do opposite and come to Viet Nam first.”

He explained that it is because Vietnamese firms have made great strides in terms of design and sales methods by actively marketing their products.

“The global furniture and wooden products market is worth $400-500 billion annually, but Viet Nam has a very modest market share, and so opportunities to boost exports are aplenty,” he said.

Duong Thi Minh Tue, a member of the HAWA executive board, said, “To sustain exports, firms must routinely make efforts to retain customers and look for new markets.”

March and April are the peak order period and major furniture fairs are held in Asia, but the pandemic has caused them to be cancelled, and businesses need to make the most of trade promotion channels, both online to offline, to reach buyers, she added. — VNS