Tiger Woods said he will stay aggressive at difficult Bethpage Black in his bid to overtake PGA Championship leader Brooks Koepka after an opening two-over par 72 on Thursday (May 16) left him nine shots adrift.
In his first competitive round since ending an 11-year major drought by capturing last month’s Masters, 15-time major winner Woods stumbled to two double bogeys, made three birdies and three bogeys as well as an eagle in the opening round at Bethpage Black.
“It wasn’t as clean as I’d like to have it for sure,” Woods said. “Didn’t get off to a very good start.” Sixth-ranked Woods opened with a double bogey at the 10th hole and made another at the par-3 17th. It was the fourth time Woods began a major with a double bogey or worse, including one at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines that he battled back to win.
But Woods sank a 30-foot eagle putt at the fourth, a 15-footer for birdie at 15 and used his irons to help his inconsistent putting.
“I thought it was going to be hard to get the ball close to the holes,” he said. “When I had a few opportunities there with short irons, I played aggressively and was able to get them in there where I had makeable putts.
“I fought my way back around there, and unfortunately I just didn’t keep it together at the end.” Woods said he did not play a nine-hole practice round Wednesday because he felt ill, not just for extra rest, but said he felt good during the round.
“I wasn’t feeling that good, so I decided to stay home and rest. I got a little bit sick, so I decided to stay home.” Much will depend on how the course changes Friday, said Woods, wary of afternoon rain forecasts when he will be on the course.
“We’ll see what the golf course offers up,” he said. “It changed quite a bit from when we played this morning to this afternoon. The greens got a lot faster. We’ll see how it dries out over the next few days.