After British Open letdown, Tiger Woods says he wants to 'go home'

Tiger Woods didn't make the weekend at the 148th British Open Championship. So, what comes next for the world's biggest name in golf? Rest.

Woods struggled out of the gate at Portrush in Northern Ireland, firing a 7-over 78 on Thursday. He rebounded for a 1-under round of 70 for Friday, but missed the cut by five strokes.

He wasn't the only star to struggle. It was the first time in more than 20 years that the weekend's action at a major didn't include Woods or Phil Mickelson. Tournament favorite and local hero Rory McIlroy, who shot a course-record 61 as a teen, also missed the cut.

Woods has played a very limited schedule in 2019. He completed one of the great sports stories of 2019 with a win at The Masters in April. But he's played just four times since then -- he missed the cut at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in May, took ninth at The Memorial at Muirfield Village later that month, and finished 21st at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in June before this week's uninspired effort.

Woods has played in just 10 events so far this year, compared to 18 in 2018.

"This year I made a conscious effort to cut back on my schedule to make sure that I don't play too much," Woods said at the Open. "I want to play here as long as I possibly can. And you have to understand, if I play a lot, I won't be out here that long."

As for right now? "I just want some time off, try to get away from it ... I just want to go home."

Woods added after his British ouster he will not play in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational next week in Memphis, instead choosing to rest and prepare for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which begin on Aug. 8.

Irishman Shane Lowry, a 60-1 longshot before the tournament started, won the Open Championship Sunday at a course he grew up near.