Woods Starts Strong at British
Tiger Woods returned to a Major Championship Thursday after a little more than three months removed from back surgery. Woods, in seek of his 15th major championship, second only to Jack Nicklaus, opened this years British Open with a 3-under 69 at Royal Liverpool GC and currently trails leader Rory McIlroy by three strokes.
After a dismal start, in which he bogeyed the first two holes, Woods regrouped and bidied six times in a seven hole stretch. Woods went on to average 1.56 putts per hole and rolled in a difficult twenty foot birdie on 11.
Woods seemed to play a bit more freely on Thursday than in years past, and his game appeared to benefit from it. Woods also received numerous fortunate bounces on the day, including hitting a marshall in the face on 17 and receiving a wayward bounce into a sand trap on the par-5 18th. Woods would recover to par each of the holes to close a back nine where he shot a (4-under) 33.
Though Woods looked strong and confident in his return, Royal Liverpool seemed to play easier than British Open courses of the past with weather having little effect on players today, something Woods aknowledged after his round.
"I'm three back, I'm right there in the mix. With the weather expected to get worse over the next couple days it was nice to get this round in."
With the leaders in sight and the weekend approaching, Tiger could be poised to return to form and capture his 15th major title, If he's able to keep it going this weekend, Tiger may regain the confidence and mentality that made him the greatest player in the world, something that could mean trouble for the rest of the PGA.
