Rory McIlroy at 2011 PGA Championship second round

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the 93rd PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club on August 12, 2011 in Johns Creek, Georgia. (Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images / August 12, 2011)

By Jeff Shain, Orlando Sentinel

August 12, 2011, 5:16 p.m.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. —

Tiger Woods has taken an early departure from a major championship for just the third time in his professional career, missing the PGA Championship cut after a 3-over-par 73.

Two double bogeys shortly after making the turn at Atlanta Athletic Club sealed his fate – the first coming after watching a bunker shot skitter into a pond, the second after a dead-pull into the trees that ranks among the ugliest shots of his career.

Even after two late birdies, the winner of 14 major titles staggered to the finish at 10-over 150 – six shots off the cut line.

"I think I was in, what, 20 bunkers in two days?" Woods said. "And I had four or five water balls. That's not going to add up to a very good score."

For the record, the count was 22 bunkers (11 off the tee, 11 greenside) and four splashdowns.

Combined with three double bogeys in an opening 7-over 77, it marked the first time as a pro that Woods has made five doubles in a single tournament.

The result also could mark the end of his PGA Tour season. Ranking 129th in FedEx Cup points, Woods did not enter next week's Greensboro stop that marks the last event to break into the top 125 that advances to the tour's four-event "postseason" series.

"Yeah, I've got some time off again," said Woods, who endured a 12-week injury layoff before coming back at last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

It was volatile at the top of Friday's leaderboard, too. One day after Steve Stricker's opening 63 matched the major-championship scoring record, he tumbled with a 74 that left a half-dozen others jockeying for the top spot.

Keegan Bradley, a PGA Tour rookie playing his first major, and journeyman Jason Dufner vaulted to the top at 5-under following strong afternoon rounds. Bradley toured Atlanta AC in 64 strokes; Dufner posted a 65.

"When you're playing well, it seems easy," said Bradley, who drained a 10-foot par save on his final hole to preserve his share of the lead. "This course will hurt you if you hit bad shots – but if you hit good shots, it'll reward you just like Steve Stricker did."

Jim Furyk, winner of last year's FedEx Cup trophy, also shot 65 to lurk among four pros one shot off the pace. He was joined by D.A. Points (67), Australia's John Senden (68) and Scott Verplank (69).

Ten more golfers were within four shots of the lead. "It's very, very competitive out there," Dufner said. "I don't think the average golf fan realizes how competitive it is to be on the PGA Tour."

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy, sporting a bandage halfway up his right forearm, struggled to find his touch in a 3-over-par 73.

The Northern Ireland pro, who strained tendons in his wrist and forearm when he made contact with a tree root in the opening round, endured a trio of three-putts on Friday.

Before coming to Atlanta AC, Woods has failed to reach the weekend just twice in major championships – the 2006 U.S. Open after his father's death, and the British Open two years ago at Turnberry.

But he found his back against the wall after Thursday's opening 77 – watching a 3-under-par start disintegrate by playing his final 13 holes in 10-over. As it turned out, he needed to shoot a 67 to lift himself above the cut line.

"I'm not contending in the tournament. So, next time," Woods said when asked his emotions. It was a much calmer state than Thursday, when he did well to keep his anger bottled up.

Once a constant presence in majors, he was a factor just once in 2001 – at the Masters, when a final-round 66 left him in a tie for fourth.

But he sprained his left knee and Achilles tendon near the end of the third round in Augusta, then aggravated it at The Players Championship before withdrawing after nine holes. He sat out the U.S. Open and British Open before finally making his return last week.

In that sense, Woods was philosophical.

"It's a step back in the sense that I didn't make the cut and I'm not contending in the tournament," he said. "But it's a giant leap forward in the fact that I played two straight weeks healthy."

Woods will spend the next several weeks working on his game, not expected to tee it up again until November at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. It figures to be part of a three-week run, followed by the Australian Open and Presidents Cup.

jshain@tribune.com. Read Jeff Shain's blog, The Downswing, at OrlandoSentinel.com/golfblog.