LA JOLLA, Calif. — Tiger Woods entered Sunday knowing he was not going to win at Torrey Pines for the ninth time in his career. So he set a mini-goal entering the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open: Get to double digits under par for the week.

His mini-goal was accomplished, thanks to birdies on three of his final five holes, including the last two, for a back-nine 31 to get to 10-under and a tie for 20th for the week.

Woods began the day at 5-under and shot 67 on the Torrey Pines South Course.

After it was over, Woods sounded a lot like he did last year, when he was coming back from his fourth back surgery, in that he seemed pleased with his progress.

“Each day I got a little bit better, which was nice,” Woods said. “I got a little bit sharper each and every day. My driver started coming around. I drove it great on the weekend. Some of my putts started going in, which was nice.”

Woods was even-par through his first nine holes, which constituted the back nine, and carded five birdies on his back, which was the front.

“It was nice to shake some of the rust and see what I need to work on,” Woods said of the week. “I still need to hit the ball better with my irons, hit them pin high, which I normally do, and continue to improve with the driver. I know my putting will come around. This was just one of those where I just didn’t see the lines quite right.”

Woods, as he did before this tournament, conceded his expectations are “different” this year from last.

“I have a lot of different expectations,” he said. “I don’t have to learn a golf swing and learn equipment and figure out some way to play golf again. This year, I have an understanding of what I can and cannot do. Finishing the year the way I did in the [FedEx Cup] playoffs, I finally built it to a place where I can take little time off and I know what I’ll have when I come back.”

We’ll find out more in two weeks, when Woods returns to action at the Genesis Open at Riviera in Los Angeles.