PINEHURST, N.C. — Tiger Woods kicked off his U.S. Open campaign with a birdie on Thursday, putting him in the red and at the top of the leaderboard. This moment harkened back 25 years to when a young rising talent first played the national championship at Pinehurst No. 2.
The following 17 holes showcased the contrast between the golfer he once was and the golfer he is now.
Woods displayed exceptional driving skills, navigating narrow fairways lined with native grasses. He also sank a couple of long putts to save pars. However, he struggled with accuracy on his iron shots, which proved costly on a course that demands precision. These challenges resulted in a 4-over 74 in the opening round.
This marked his 12th consecutive round without breaking par in a major, as he experienced five bogeys in a seven-hole span.
“I was somewhat conservative in my approach at times. Additionally, my ball-striking was not up to par,” explained Woods, who managed to hit 12 of 14 fairways in regulation but only half of the greens. “I found myself in positions I didn’t want to be on many holes.”
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To be fair, the renowned Donald Ross layout can be challenging at times to a borderline unfair extent.
Woods hit several shots that would have set up birdie opportunities on most other courses, but the undulating greens at Pinehurst caused his shots to roll off, ending up in collection areas. This was evident at the par-3 ninth, his final hole of the day, where his seemingly safe approach veered off course, requiring a tricky par save instead of a birdie chance.
“Getting the ball close is a tough task here. Unlike other golf courses where shots feed into flags, Pinehurst repels everything. It’s difficult to land the ball on the shelves,” Woods stated.
Despite facing these challenges, Woods managed to avoid any disastrous scores, giving him a chance to make the cut. This was a significant improvement over his performance at the PGA Championship in Valhalla, where he missed the weekend due to two triple bogeys.
The positive news was that Woods’ physical condition, which has often been a hindrance in recent years, seemed to hold up well. The flat layout of Pinehurst, along with the hot and humid weather, prevented his joints from stiffening up.
Benefiting from an early tee time, Woods had ample time to recover for Friday’s round, hoping to avoid any stiffness from setting in during the car ride back.
“I hope I don’t get too tight in the car ride back. Being in air conditioning can make me tighten up,” Woods mentioned, heading straight to the driving range after his round to work on his inconsistent iron play.
Reflecting on his performance, Woods acknowledged the inconsistency in his game, attributing it to his infrequent tournament appearances.
“I haven’t played a U.S. Open round since Winged Foot in 2020 due to various injuries. It’s a balancing act between playing more often and risking injury or playing less and struggling with sharpness,” Woods explained.
However, Woods remains hopeful that his body will allow him to compete more frequently in the future, with his sights set on a strong performance this weekend.
