Tiger Woods opens U.S. Open in 4-over 74

Tiger Woods' first-round 74 at Pinehurst No. 2 on Thursday looked a lot like the rounds he's played this season. There were flashes of old form, shots that convince that Woods' pursuit of a 16th major is not out of reach. Ultimately, though, those flashes were overshadowed by a few too many errant shots, a reminder that Woods has not shaken all the competitive rust.

Woods made two birdies and six bogeys en route to a 4-over opening round. It started ideally. A birdie at the 10th hole, his first of the day, briefly put Woods in the lead. He validated that birdie with five consecutive pars. Then he made a bogey at the 16th and another at the 17th. Soon after, his card included five bogeys in seven holes and Woods' place at the top of the leaderboard was long gone. Woods will spend Friday grinding to make the cut, just as he did (successfully) at the Masters and (unsuccessfully) at the PGA Championship. Woods said he still believes he can win. It will take a mighty effort for that victory to come this week.

"I'm physically getting better as the year has gone on," Woods said post-round. "I just haven't been able to play as much because I just don't want to hurt myself pre(tournament), then I won't be able to play in the major championships. It's pick your poison, right? Play a lot with the potential of not playing, or not playing and fight being not as sharp."

Woods' issues did not come off the tee. He hit 12-of-14 fairways and gained strokes off the tee, a positive development after struggling with his long game at Valhalla Golf Club. The issues resided mostly in his approach play. He hit only nine greens, and when he did find the putting surface, it was hardly in a spot to be aggressive. Seven of his nine birdie attempts came outside 30 feet and Woods made none of the putts.

The talk around Woods is not about his swing or fading talent. The game’s top players insist the 15-time major winner still has the skill to contend in majors. The questions revolve around Woods’ body sustaining through four days of a major championship and whether he can knock off the competitive rust quickly enough to stay in contention for 72 holes.

"I didn't hit my irons particularly well. Didn't putt that great. Drove it on the string all day. Unfortunately I just didn't capitalize on it," Woods said.

Woods is making just his fourth start of the PGA TOUR season. He withdrew during the second round of The Genesis Invitational in February, made the cut and finished 60th at the Masters in April and shot 72-77 to miss the cut at the PGA Championship last month.

Woods has done everything but win in his two career trips to Pinehurst No. 2. He finished third in the 1999 U.S. Open, two behind Payne Stewart, and runner-up to Michael Campbell in the 2005 U.S. Open. Woods is a long way away from bettering those finishes.

Here are hole-by-hole updates of Woods' first round:

12:50 p.m.: It's a first-round 74 for Woods, who dropped another shot on the 17th and got up and down for par on the 18th to close his round. Woods showed glimpses of top form, particularly with his performance off-the-tee, but his approach play and short game weren't consistently sharp and it cost him on a tough golf course. Woods will be fighting against the cutline on Friday.

12:22 p.m.: Woods' approach play has continued to struggle, but he's still grinding. He hit the fairway on the seventh hole but missed another green. He played his bunker shot to 18 feet and sunk the par putt to remain at 3-over. Woods has hit just 9-of-16 greens in this first round.

12:02 p.m.: That's the putter we saw at the start of Woods' round. His tee shot on the par-3 sixth landed pin-high but had no chance of staying on the green, bounding over and setting up another delicate pitch. Woods played it OK, leaving himself 12 feet and finally he rolled one in, his longest putt since his fourth hole.

11:37 a.m.: Woods flashed one of those swings that have everyone believing a 16th major is still possible. After bogeying the difficult fourth hole, Woods found the fairway on the par-5 fifth and sent a towering 4-iron from 250 yards right at the pin. It stopped about 30 feet short and Woods nearly holed the eagle. He settled for birdie -- a much-needed one after his string of bogeys. Woods is fighting. Now 3-over through 14.

10:56 a.m.: The bogeys are going to come at the U.S. Open, you just have to try and avoid it starting to spiral. Woods bogeyed the 11th hole, his fourth in five holes, failing to get up and down after missing the green. Woods' chip ran 8 feet by and he couldn't hole the par putt. After making three putts outside 8 feet in his first four holes, Woods hasn't made a putt longer than 3 feet since. He made par on the third to momentarily stop his fall, but he will need to find a feel with the putter to get this round back on track. He's lost nearly a shot on the greens today.

10:26 a.m.: Momentum is not on Woods' side right now. After closing his front nine with bogeys on two of the last three holes, Woods starts the second side with a bogey. The error came on the greens again. He was in a great position in the fairway off the tee and safely hit the green, albeit 38 feet from the hole, but three-putted to make a 5. He was tentative with the first putt, which took some of the downslope but stopped 9 feet short. Facing an even more slippery second putt, he misread the putt, which started left and moved left. Woods is 2-over through 10 holes.

10:07 a.m.: It'll be a 1-over 36 on Woods' opening nine. Woods was in prime position off the tee, 134 yards from the pin, but his wedge landed right of the pin and spun away from the hole. He cozied up his 32-foot birdie putt and tapped in for par. Woods started hot with the flatstick but couldn't maintain that momentum toward the end of this outward nine. He is hanging in tough, though. If he continues to drive it like he has, Woods will give himself plenty of birdie chances to close his round.

9:50 a.m.: Pinehurst comes at you quick. Woods finds the green on the par-3 17th but gets too aggressive with his speed. His first putt, around 50 feet from the hole, runs by 10 feet, leaving a tricky downhill par putt. After playing too much break on the last two holes, Woods doesn't play enough and the putt slides by the hole. Woods cleans up for bogey and drops to 1-over.

9:33 a.m.: If you need an example of how important it is to hit the fairway, Woods's seventh hole, the 16th, is a good candidate. Woods missed his first fairway of the day and was unable to reach the green into two. He laid up about 75 yards short and hit his pitch shot just a bit long, leaving himself a downhill 20-footer for par. Woods gave it a good effort but played just a bit too much break. His first bogey of the day drops him to even-par through seven holes.

9:18 a.m.: Woods is plodding his way around nicely. He hits the green on the 206-yard par-3 15th but is some 45 feet away. His birdie putt curls towards the hole but stops a foot short. Another stress-free tap-in par. Woods will take those all day at Pinehurst No. 2. Boring is good.

9:02 a.m.: Woods is finding a rhythm. He hits the fairway and follows it with his best approach of the day, landing it 11 feet from the green. He starts the birdie putt right of the hole and it doesn't turn back enough. Woods cleans it up for par. Woods is tied for second at 1-under.

8:45 a.m.: Woods finds the fairway on the par-4 13th but his approach shot flies over the green, leaving a difficult up-and-down. The 13th will be an interesting strategy choice for players. Woods and playing partners Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick took iron off the tee and none hit the fairway. Measuring 384 yards, the hole isn't drivable today, but players have the option of blasting driver as far as they can and taking their chances from the fairway or wire grass. Woods played conservatively but couldn't execute the approach shot. His putt from behind the green is lightning quick and flies 8 feet past the hole. He sinks the comebacker for par. He's 1-under through four, thanks in large part to his short game.

8:29 a.m.: The driver hasn't been an issue, but a notable trend is developing with Woods' approach play. Hitting his second from the fairway on the par-4 12th, Woods pushes his shot into a bunker about 30 yards short and right of the green. It's the third straight approach shot that has finished right of his intended target. Woods was not happy after that swing, knowing it's a costly miss. It's a great effort for Woods to hit it to 10 feet from there and he drains it. The putter looks good through three holes. Woods remains 1-under.

8:10 a.m.: Another fairway, another green. Woods hits a peeler off the tee to find the center of the par-4 11th fairway. His approach leaves some to be desired, landing on the front of the green and settling 65 feet away from the pin. Woods does well to two-putt for par. He's 1-under through two holes.

7:51 a.m.: Woods' approach into the par-5 10th fades right and into the unpredictable wire grass around the green. That will be a theme this week. What lies will players get when they veer off the fairways? It can be clean with no issues or lead to possible disaster if it finds a tuft of grass. Woods has no problems this go-around, his stance and lie unimpeded, and hits it to 12 feet. He pours it in for an opening birdie and quickly jumps into a tie for first. What a start.

7:32 a.m.: Woods is off and it's a good one right down the middle. Woods finds the fairway at the 10th, his first of the day. Driving accuracy will be crucial this week for the entire field. Pinehurt's greens are no joke and it will be difficult to hold them with an approach shot coming from anywhere other than the short grass.