Tiger fires 2-under 69 in difficult scoring conditions

Displaying patience from start to finish, Tiger Woods ground out a 2-under-par 69 on Thursday in the first round of the 142nd Open Championship at sun-baked Muirfield in Gullane, Scotland.

Woods is tied for ninth, three strokes behind fellow American Zach Johnson.

As expected, temperatures were in the 70s and the ground was rock-hard from tee to green. Late starters like Woods were tested the most, as the course firmed up and so did the wind, making it almost impossible to shoot at some of the treacherous pin positions.

“It got really quick,” Woods said. “It’s so fiery out there. It’s hard to fathom how far the ball is going downwind. We hit a couple 6-irons that went 280-285 [yards]. It’s hard to wrap your mind around it sometimes, but that’s just the way it’s playing.”

Tiger toured the tougher back nine in 3-under, which was nearly five strokes lower than the field average. That included a three-putt at the 14th hole, where he literally knocked his birdie attempt off the green from front to back.

Many players were critical of the course setup, especially the pin placements.

“I could see that,” Woods said. “In the afternoon, it just continued to dry out.”

A three-time winner of the Claret Jug, Tiger was paired with Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland. Oosthuizen wound up withdrawing due to a neck injury.

The day didn’t start well for Woods, who hooked a 3-wood at the 447-yard, par-4 first hole into the deep fescue on the left and was forced to take an unplayable lie. He eventually made a great up-and-down from a front bunker to save bogey.

“I figured if I hammered a 3-wood, maybe I could get it in that bunker,” Woods said. “I hit a flip hook left and there she goes. I thought it might be out of bounds.”

Tiger steadied with two pars, then made a nice birdie at the 218-yard, par-3 fourth, where he flushed an 8-iron to just inside 10 feet and right of the cup.

After a par at No. 5, Woods got unlucky at the par-4 sixth, where his approach shot from 169 yards bounced over the back of the green. Tiger’s uphill chip curled backward down the slope into thick fescue, leaving an even tougher fourth shot. He chopped his next shot just onto the putting surface, then made a great 10-foot putt to salvage bogey.

Following a two-putt par at the par-3 seventh, Woods hit a wonderful approach from 161 yards at the 441-yard, par-4 eighth to about four feet above the hole. The birdie putt was slick and he missed left, settling for a par. He closed the front nine with a good eight-foot par-save at the par-5 ninth.

Tiger jump-started his round by sinking a 10-foot birdie putt at the 469-yard, par-4 10th, where he hit a 9-iron from 175 yards. He made it two in a row at the 387-yard, par-4 11th, knocking his approach from 128 yards to within 12 feet of the hole.

At the 379-yard, par-4 12th, Woods made a miraculous par-save — the kind that prolongs a good round. After driving in the fairway, he hit a poor second shot from 148 yards into the left greenside bunker, and the ball nestled up close to the face. Unable to put both feet in the sand, Tiger improvised, kneeling outside the bunker on his left leg and keeping his right foot in the sand. Choking up on the club, he popped the ball about seven feet past the pin, receiving appreciative applause from the gallery, then poured in the putt.

“The stance was awkward, but at least the lie was good,” he said.

Tiger followed with a crisp iron to the 190-yard, par-3 13th and rolled in the speedy, downhill, left-to-right birdie putt from 25 feet.

“That putt was going,” Tiger said. “Thank God it hit the hole. It’s just frightening how fast they got downhill.”

He gave back a stroke with the three-putt at No. 14, then made a nice two-putt par from long range at the par-4 15th.

Woods hit his tee shot at the 190-yard, par-3 16th about 10 yards over the green, but hit a nice lag putt and saved par. He reached the green in two at the downwind, 575-yard, par-5 17th with two 4-irons, the latter from 289 yards, and the ball finished 25 feet above the cup. Tiger hit another nice lag putt and easily tapped in for a birdie.

At the 470-yard, par-4 18th, Woods pulled a 3-wood into the left rough, but drew a decent lie in the wispy fescue. He slashed his second shot just short of the green — his tender left elbow showing no ill effects — and managed to two-putt, sinking a clutch seven-foot putt.

“It was a nice putt,” Woods said. “I was very pleased I hit it that flush.”

On the day, Tiger one-putted 10 times and used 27 overall. He also hit 10 of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation.

“Other than that first tee shot, I played really well today,” he said. “I had to grind it out. More than anything, it was just trying to hang around par. It could easily get away from you out there today.”

After taking a month off to rest and treat his strained elbow, Woods insisted he wasn’t surprised by his good start. He said the elbow held up well.

“I’ve taken long breaks before, before Major Championships,” Tiger said. “I’ve taken four weeks off and come back and played well.”

Woods isn’t sure how the course will play Friday, when he draws a 9:44 a.m. local time and 4:44 a.m. ET tee time with McDowell. Even if tournament officials apply some water, it figures to be firm and fast again.

“It will be interesting to see what the course setup is tomorrow,” Woods said.