Follow Tiger Woods on Thursday at the 2024 U.S. Open with live shot-by-shot updates from Pinehurst No. 2
Tiger Woods is set to tee it up for the 23rd time in a U.S. Open on Thursday morning.
Woods has an early first-round tee time at Pinehurst No. 2, starting from the 10th hole at 7:29 a.m. alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris. Woods, a three-time U.S. Open champion, has a strong history at Pinehurst No. 2, placing T-3 in 1999 and solo second in 2005, although he hasn’t played the course competitively since its renovation.
This is Woods’ fourth start of the year. He withdrew during the second round of his event, the Genesis Invitational, finished 60th at the Masters, and missed the cut at the PGA Championship.
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Check out Tiger’s first round at the 2024 U.S. Open with live shot-by-shot analysis from Pinehurst No. 2:
Pre-round thoughts
Tiger Woods of the United States pulls a club from his bag during a practice round prior to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Considering he has played only seven full rounds through the first five-and-a-half months this year, it’s hard to predict what a successful Thursday will look like for Tiger. He won’t need to make a lot of birdies to stay competitive, but good pars and his ability to scramble around the greens at Pinehurst will be crucial if he wants to make the cut and contend. We’ll know early on how Woods might fare by how he handles the tricky greens.
The warm weather should help his body, and Pinehurst is one of the easier walks for a major championship. He will also have plenty of recovery time before Friday’s second round, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. If he shows his skill around the greens and can shoot in the 72-74 range (considering that -1 or -2 might be the lead), it would be a successful opening round.
Warming up
Tiger is wearing a striped pink shirt to begin his 23rd U.S. Open. He looks solid during warmups. Even 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman noticed something different about Tiger during his range session on Wednesday.
Photos
Tiger Woods of the United States and his son, Charlie Woods, look on from the second hole during a practice round prior to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 11, 2024, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Tiger has been on the grounds all week and has had plenty of time to get familiar with the landscape. Here’s a look at his week through photos.
No. 10: Par 5
We’re underway at Pinehurst No. 2. Tiger stripes his opening tee shot down the left side of the fairway, picking up his tee before his ball even reaches its apex. A great start with 175 mph ball speed and 317 yards off the first tee.
Tiger outdrives Willy Z and Fitzy off the first tee. His second shot with a 3-wood goes way right into the native area. The lie doesn’t look terrible, but not the second shot he was hoping for.
With 59 yards to the pin for his third, Woods hits an incredible shot to about 12 feet. He’ll have an excellent look for birdie on the first hole.
BOOM. Tiger walks it in on the first hole and is tied for the early lead at the U.S. Open.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 1.
No. 11: Par 4
Another perfect cut off the tee on the 11th, down the right side of the fairway. 2-for-2 hitting fairways to start, a good sign for the day. This one went 312 yards.
From 167 yards, Tiger flares his approach shot out to the right, finding the putting surface but far from the back left pin. A great lag putt gets it to about a foot and a half for an easy par.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 2.
No. 12: Par 4
Another driver, another fairway. He hasn’t missed early on, this one down the left side. The approach shot is 208 yards. Tiger flares it out to the right again, showing some frustration. He has short-sided himself and faces a tough task getting up and down for par.
Out of the sand, he throws a nifty shot to 10 feet. He walks in the par putt. Great start on the greens.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 3.
No. 13: Par 4
Iron off the tee, and another fairway. Huge sign early hitting every fairway, key to winning this week. 141 yards to the pin for his second shot.
Best iron shot of the day but goes long. Not a huge miss; he’s in the short grass. Tiger uses putter from behind the green, adds a bit of juice, and leaves a 9-foot par putt. He makes it. The flat stick is on fire.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 4.
No. 14: Par 4
Make it 5-for-5 in fairways. Great tee shot with the driver, 317 yards out. 160 yards to the green. His best approach of the day gives a great look at birdie to tie the lead, 11 feet away. Just misses it on the right edge. Tap-in par.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 5.
No. 15: Par 3
First par 3, playing 206 yards. His 6-iron lands on the front of the green. A 45-foot birdie putt shows off his lag-putting skills, tapping in for par. Hard to find issues with how he has battled a third of the way through the round.
Tiger’s score: 1 under thru 6.
No. 16: Par 4
First mistake off the tee, pulling it to the left. The lie doesn’t seem terrible. He lays up from 210 yards, pitches from 74 yards to a solid spot past the hole, but misses the putt. First bogey.
Tiger’s score: Even thru 7.
No. 17: Par 3
Good tee shot to the front of the green. A 48-foot lag putt goes way past the hole. He misses the three-putt bogey. Rough two-hole stretch.
Tiger’s score: 1 over thru 8.
