MELBOURNE, Australia Tiger Woods is in the same spot Down Under as he’s been everywhere else in the world trying to catch up to the leaders and on the verge of becoming an also-ran.

Right when it looked as though Woods was poised to give himself a chance at winning for the first time all year, he struggled in blustery conditions today at the Australian Masters and wound up with a 1-over 72.

That put him nine shots behind Adam Bland, who is leaving Sunday night for the second stage of Q-school on the PGA Tour. Bland played in the same side of the draw as Woods, in 20 mph wind that blew sand out of the bunkers, and finished strong for a 4-under 67.

Bland was at 10-under 132 and had a two-shot lead over Andre Stolz, who also had a 67. No one else was within three shots of them, while Sergio Garcia had the best round of the day — also in a strong wind — and his best score of the year with a 65 to get within six shots.

The Australian Masters is the final title defense of the year for Woods, and he hasn’t come close in any of the others. His best finish in a title defense was a tie for 15th at the BMW Championship in Chicago.

Woods again played two perfect shots on the par-5 17th for a two-putt birdie, and again took himself out of an easy birdie with a poor tee shot on the par-5 18th. This one was on a dirt path, and Woods’ attempt to hook it around a tea tree didn’t work out. It sailed toward a corporate box, and he had to settle for par.

He was at 1-under 141 and tied for 16th with Camilo Villegas (70).

“It was frustrating, because I hit the ball well pretty much off the tee, and wasn’t quite as sharp with the irons,” Woods said.

Just like on Thursday, when he opened with a 69, Woods didn’t make a putt longer than 8 feet. The problem today was that most of those putts were for par.