LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The silver lining for Tiger Woods is that he posted his best opening round in a major since 2022. The bad news is it left him 10 shots off the lead at the PGA Championship.
For a player whose competitive fortunes have largely been nonexistent since he suffered multiple injuries in a devastating February 2021 car crash, Woods’ 1-over 72 on Day 1 at Valhalla had the occasional bright spots, including an 18-footer for birdie at No. 13 and a dart on the par-3 third hole that left him 5 feet for another birdie, along with his standard mediocre play, most notably three-putts at his final two holes for back-to-back bogeys.
“I am getting stronger for sure,” said Woods, who was tied for 85th after Thursday’s early wave and 10 shots behind front-runner Xander Schauffele. “It’s just that I just don’t play a whole lot of competitive rounds. I haven’t played since the Masters. It’s a little bit different than being at home and playing a flat Florida course.”
The four-time PGA Championship winner, who opened the 2022 Masters in 71 before finishing solo 41st, admitted that it took him three holes to get into the “competitive flow” of the round but was still optimistic he could find a way to make the cut.
“You have to just grind it out. It’s a marathon. Major championships are a long grind. It’s just plotting along. It’s not a sprint. It’s just a grind,” he said.
