Tiger Woods Shoots 78 To Start the British Open He Eagerly Awaited

The historic 150th British Open had been circled on Woods' calendar for months, but an opening-hole double bogey led to a disappointing day at the Old Course.

Tiger Woods needed 35 putts to get around the Old Course in Round 1, with three official 3-putt greens :: Rob Schumacher/USA Today

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Tiger Woods had this date circled on his calendar for months, long before anyone dreamed he might play any competitive golf at all in 2022.

It occupied his thoughts during rehabilitation and drove him through workouts as he sought to recover from injuries suffered to his lower right leg in a car crash early last year and worked to improve his situation.

Woods, 46, made it to the first tee at St. Andrews on Thursday, an accomplishment in itself as he teed off in a British Open for the sixth time at the Old Course.

But golf can be cruel, and Woods found that out with his 3-iron opening tee shot that flew exactly where he wanted, only to have it come to rest in a freshly-created divot hole.

And that stroke of bad fortune led to an opening-hole double-bogey 6 that he struggled to recover from in an opening-round 78.

Woods made no excuses, citing myriad issues that led to the score that left him 14 shots back of first-round leader Cameron Young and well off the cutline. But the beginning certainly did not help.

“I think I had maybe four or five 3-putts today. I just wasn’t very good on the greens," said Woods, who needed 35 putts and officially had three 3-putt greens. "And every putt I left short. I struggle with hitting the putts hard enough. They looked faster than what they were putting, and I struggled with it."

This has been a common theme for Woods, who struggled adjusting to slower greens. The fairways are faster than the greens at the Old Course, and Woods — despite being here since Saturday and practicing every day — never was able to figure it out.

“It’s just a different dynamic than we were accustomed to," he said. “Pitch shots around the greens, you allow for more speed and then for them to slow up on the greens, which is the exact opposite of what we would normally play.

“But I've played British Opens where they've been like that. And it's up to me to make those adjustments and I didn't do it."

Woods is playing in just his third official tournament, having finished 47th at the Masters in April followed by another made cut at the PGA Championship, where he withdrew following the third round.

In both cases, Woods appeared to get worse as rounds went on. And by the weekend, he was clearly laboring.

That was far less the case Thursday. Woods looked good physically, hit a lot of good drives, just not enough good shots overall.

“It was a lot easier today, physically, than it has been the other two events, for sure," he said.

“I think just the total score. It feels like I didn't really hit it that bad. Yes, I did have bad speed on the greens, yes. But I didn't really feel like I hit it that bad but I ended up in bad spots. Or just had some weird things happen. And just the way it goes. Links is like that. And this golf course is like that. And as I said, I had my chances to turn it around and get it rolling the right way and I didn't do it."

As for the opening-hole double bogey, Woods said: “Hit a good tee shot down 1, ended up right in the middle of a fresh divot. And I hit a good shot. Wind gusts hit it and ended up in the burn, and start off with a double."

Woods ball landed short of the water and trickled in. At the last Open at St. Andrews in 2015, Woods started the tournament in nearly exactly the same way, hitting his second shot short and fat into the water that fronts the green.

From there, he hit a good chip that snuck past the hole and he then missed the bogey put.

Woods made two double bogeys during his round along with five bogeys and three birdies. After driving into the Valley of Sin on the 18th hole, he was unable to get up and down for a final birdie, leaving his putt up the hill short — as was the habit.

“Looks like I'm going to have to shoot 66 tomorrow to have a chance (to make the 36-hole cut, which is top 70 players and ties)," he said. “So obviously it has been done. Guys did it today. And that's my responsibility tomorrow is to go ahead and do it. Need to do it."

More British Open Coverage from SI.com/Morning Read:

> Once Again, Rory McIlroy Out Fast In a Major With a 66 at the British Open
> Bryson DeChambeau's British Open Starts Safely, But Is His Future In Danger?
> Phil Mickelson, Asked to Not Participate in 150th British Open Celebrations, Still Enjoying the Week
> In His 20th British Open, Ian Poulter Starts Solid and Blocks Out the Noise
> 2022 British Open Day 1: Scores, Live Updates From the Old Course at St. Andrews
> Cameron Young Breaks Out Fast On a Slow Day
> What to Watch in Round 2 at St. Andrews: Wet Weather, More Rory, and Tiger's Battle to Make the Cut

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