Tiger a Ryder Cup doubt after worst-ever finish

Somehow Tiger Woods is still officially ranked as the best golfer in the world - despite carding the worst score of his career over the weekend.

The American ended with a shocking overall score of 18 over par at the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, and finished 78th in a field of 80. Such is his fall from grace that he is now a major doubt for the Ryder Cup in October.

Woods clings onto the number one spot only because of the misfortune of his rivals. Briton Lee Westwood, ranked number three, pulled out of the tournament with a calf injury and is himself now a doubt for the Ryder Cup. And second-placed man Phil Mickelson, who needed a fourth-place finish to end Tiger's five-year reign as number one, put in a final round that was even worse than Woods's to end up down in 46th place.

Woods, who split from his coach Hank Haney earlier in the year, has been at sixes and sevens recently. He ditched his old putter before the Open to little effect and after announcing that he would work on his swing on his own it has emerged that he has been working with Corey Carroll, an unheard of 23-year-old aspiring golf professional.

Woods was frank in his assessment of his game after the embarrassment at Firestone. "Shooting 18 over par is not fun," he said. "I don't see how it can be fun shooting 18 over, especially since my handicap is meant to be zero. It's tough.

"I need to hit the ball better, I need to chip better, I need to putt better. It has been a long year."

Woods is now in 10th place on the US Ryder Cup list and with only the top eight guaranteed of a place in the team he must raise his game at this week's USPGA Championship in Wisconsin. If he can't break into the top eight the only option would be for US captain Corey Pavin to pick him as a wildcard for the tournament in early October.

But Woods admitted: "I'd be no help to the team playing like this. No-one would help the team if they're shooting 18 over par." ·