Tiger Woods: battling nausea, fever, vomitting on the course in Windermere, Florida USA. AFP Photo

Tiger Woods battled through nausea, fever and vomiting to fire a 3-under par 69 Saturday at the Hero World Challenge, his first tournament after a four-month injury layoff.

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 event.

“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.

“I’ve been throwing up for hours,” Woods said, noting he was ill but not in pain and never considered quitting.

“I wasn’t doing too good at the beginning but I thought I could hang in there,” Woods said. “The fever just broke. As the round went on I was feeling better.”

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

Tiger Woods waits on the fifth green during the third round of the Hero World Challenge

“I didn’t have nausea and vomiting before,” Woods said. “I just didn’t have the explosiveness. I was pretty slow.”

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

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

Leader Jordan Spieth was 15 shots ahead of Woods with the back nine of the third round yet to play.

“Not bad. Only 15 back,” Woods said with a smile.

Woods has been solid and accurate off the tee the past two days but his short game has been awful and putting has been spotty, a sign fans might have to wait well into 2015 before he reaches competitive form.

His only hint about next year’s schedule was that it would be a “probably slightly different” run-up to the Masters in April.

On the first hole, Woods doubled over and vomited after hitting his approach 15 feet from the cup, but followed by making the birdie putt. He battled dry heaves but made a great chip to salvage par at the par-3 second.

“I like to compete,” Woods said. “If I can go, I can go. I’ll give everything I have.”

At the sixth, Woods botched a chip and took a bogey but answered at the par-5 seventh by making an eight-foot birdie putt.