ORLANDO, Florida (AFP) — Tiger Woods battled through nausea, fever and vomiting to fire a three-under par 69 yesterday at the Hero World Challenge, his first tournament after a four-month injury lay-off.

The former world number one birdied the last three holes to stand on level par 216 for 54 holes at Isleworth, but remained last in the 18-player field despite shooting lower scores this week the sicker he has felt.

“It wasn’t easy. I fought hard,” Woods said in a hoarse whisper. “Spent all I had.”

Woods, who had not played competitively since the PGA Championship in August because of a back injury, vomited from the first hole onward, making six birdies and three bogeys on the day.

Woods, who opened with a 77 Thursday, fired a 70 Friday with a fever, but was worse off yesterday.

“I didn’t have nausea and vomiting before,” Woods said, adding that it left him weaker.

“I just didn’t have the explosiveness,” he said. “I was pretty slow.”

The 14-time major winner, chasing the career record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, has only been hitting balls for a month and has again revamped his swing by returning to a style from younger days.

Woods turns 39 later this month — and no player has won four majors beyond that birthday.

Runaway leader Jordan Spieth fired a bogey-free 63 to stand on 20-under 197, breaking the 54-hole Challenge record of Padraig Harrington in 2002 at Sherwood by one shot with a long birdie putt at 18.

The 21-year-old American stood seven strokes ahead of second-placed Henrik Stenson and Keegan Bradley, a Challenge record 54-hole edge, with Woods 20 adrift.