Wayward Woods off to grafting start at US Open

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2007

OAKMONT, United States (AFP) — Tiger Woods got his quest for a third US Open crown off to a stuttering start here on Thursday, salvaging a wayward display off the tee with some excellent work around the greens.

The world No. 1 set the tone for the day by smacking his opening drive into a bunker and bogeying the hole.

He did bounce back with two birdies to briefly edge under par, but three bogeys in five holes from the eighth had him shaking his head at his own lack of accuracy off the tee as he came in with a one-over-par 71.

"I felt pretty good - and hit it consistently all day," was Woods' own analysis of his day's work.

"It was conservative but that is the way you have to play US Opens."

It was a hard-grafting if slightly disappointing...