TULSA, Okla. (AP) – At some point lost among all those trees, Scott Verplank realized he’d gone the wrong way.

All he needed was a solid round, and he could have made things interesting for Tiger Woods. Not to mention giving a thrill to all those hometown fans braving the heat and humidity.

But Verplank spent too much time under the trees and in the rough Saturday to make up any ground at the PGA Championship. Instead, he slid backward – waaay back.

“I really just didn’t play any good, honestly,” he said. “I mean, there was really no two ways about it.”

By the time he staggered into the clubhouse with a 4-over 74, he’d dropped from second place into a seven-way tie for sixth. After getting star billing playing in the last group Saturday with Woods, he’s been reduced to an also-ran.

After playing so smoothly the first two days, almost everything Verplank did looked difficult, and the difference was only accentuated by watching him go directly against Woods. He was erratic off the tee and hit only nine of 14 fairways. He reached only 10 of 18 greens in regulation.

Somebody even stepped on his ball.

“I guess I slept wrong,” he said when asked to explain the difference. “Just the same stuff that I always do when I don’t play like I feel I should. Got a little quick, got a couple of really bad lies, which I know everybody does. But I guess since I haven’t been in the rough very much the first two days, I didn’t know it was that bad.”

About the only thing he had going for him was a very loud and proud gallery.

Verplank went to Oklahoma State and still lives in Edmond, a 90-minute drive from Southern Hills, and the locals were thrilled to see one of their own playing with Woods. There were shouts of “Go Cowboys!” and “O-S-U!” and plenty of Oklahoma State orange.

There was even a guy wearing an Oklahoma State jersey and helmet – true devotion on a day when the temperature was a sizzling 101 degrees.

“I feel bad that I didn’t keep it up and stay in there a little bit better with Tiger,” Verplank said. “The first eight, 10 holes, I kind of got to see what it’s like for him when people are always yelling. Pulling for him and all that.”