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Rusty Tiger Woods saved by trusty putter in first round of 2024 PGA Championship
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tiger Woods was back on the golf course Thursday morning at the 2024 PGA Championship for the first time in competition since his last-place finish at the 2024 Masters, and it showed early.
After an iffy start off the 10th tee on the back nine that featured numerous knee-knocking par saves, Woods found some form briefly on the front nine but leaked oil down the stretch en route to an opening-round 1-over 72 at Valhalla Golf Club. A four-time PGA Championship winner in 25 previous appearances, Woods won the 2000 PGA held here at the big ballpark in the Bluegrass State but missed the cut the last time the championship was at Valhalla in 2014.
Starting on the par-5 10th hole, Woods missed a great look at birdie that frankly didn’t come close to the hole. Missing greens and fairways can come with a real penalty at Valhalla, especially given the thick, juicy rough courtesy of three days of rain leading up to the first round, and Woods learned that lesson the hard way on the par-3 11th where he made bogey after airmailing the green.
TRACKER: Tiger’s 1-over 72 with shot-by-shot analysis
He got the shot back with his first birdie of the day two holes later on No. 13, but immediately gave it away after another poor tee shot on No. 15. Woods then fought off bogeys like Bruce Lee fending off attackers on Nos. 16-18 to make the turn at 1-over 37.
Woods rode the par train for two more holes around the turn before he made his second birdie of the day thanks to a dart to five feet on the par-3 3rd hole. His trusty putter then inexplicably cooled off on Nos. 4 and 5 as he missed a pair of birdies by mere inches. For a moment Woods got back in the red numbers after he walked in a birdie putt on the par-5 7th hole, but consecutive bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 sealed the deal for his 1-over round.
Once again in his pre-championship press conference, the 15-time major champion was adamant he can still hit whatever golf shot is required. It’s just a matter of walking and whether or not his surgically repaired leg that’s held together by pins and screws can hold up for 72 holes. Valhalla is far from an easy stroll, and at times Woods was carefully maneuvering his way up and down the hills on property. The walk will put some real pressure on his body, especially given Friday’s weather forecast of 71 degrees and a 77 percent chance of rain.
Thankfully for Woods he’ll have a 24-hour break from when he walked off the course to when he’ll tee off again Friday afternoon at 1:29 p.m. ET, once again alongside Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott.
2024 PGA Championship
Large crowds gathered for a day of golf at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf…
Large crowds gathered for a day of golf at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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The 12th hole sign during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf…
The 12th hole sign during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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2024 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods tees off on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Tiger Woods tees off on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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2024 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods lines up a shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the…
Tiger Woods lines up a shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Max Homa looks on from the 12th tee during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Max Homa looks on from the 12th tee during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Bryson DeChambeau fist bumps a fan as he walks on the 12th hole during the first…
Bryson DeChambeau fist bumps a fan as he walks on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
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Brooks Koepka tees off on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Brooks Koepka tees off on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Cameron Smith tees off on the 11th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Cameron Smith tees off on the 11th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
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Tiger Woods plays a shot from a bunker on the 10th hole during the first round…
Tiger Woods plays a shot from a bunker on the 10th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Large crowds made their way around the course during the first day of play in the…
Large crowds made their way around the course during the first day of play in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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2024 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods started his day with a drive down the 10th fairway during the first day…
Tiger Woods started his day with a drive down the 10th fairway during the first day of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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2024 PGA Championship
The tee box marker on the 10th hole caught some morning light during the first round…
The tee box marker on the 10th hole caught some morning light during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Justin Thomas sprays on some sunscreen before teeing off during the first day of play in…
Justin Thomas sprays on some sunscreen before teeing off during the first day of play in the 2024 PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Tiger Woods lined up his putt on the 14th hole during the first day of play…
Tiger Woods lined up his putt on the 14th hole during the first day of play in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Rory McIlroy looks over the 13th green before putting for birdie during the first round of…
Rory McIlroy looks over the 13th green before putting for birdie during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Tiger Woods on the 10th fairway during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at…
Tiger Woods on the 10th fairway during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Fans watch the golf along the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Fans watch the golf along the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Tiger Woods hits his tee shot off the 11th hole during the first round of the…
Tiger Woods hits his tee shot off the 11th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Large crowds followed along with Tiger Woods during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship…
Large crowds followed along with Tiger Woods during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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2024 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods lines up his putt on the 14th hole during the first round of the…
Tiger Woods lines up his putt on the 14th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Xander Schauffele looks on from the 10th fairway during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Xander Schauffele looks on from the 10th fairway during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Jordan Spieth looks on from the 12th tee during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Jordan Spieth looks on from the 12th tee during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Xander Schauffele plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th green during a practice round…
Xander Schauffele plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th green during a practice round for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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Xander Schauffele plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th green during a practice round…
Xander Schauffele plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th green during a practice round for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
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2024 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods looks on from the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Tiger Woods looks on from the 12th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
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Justin Thomas tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Justin Thomas tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Xander Schauffele tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA…
Xander Schauffele tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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Xander Schauffele lines up a putt on the third hole during the first round of the…
Xander Schauffele lines up a putt on the third hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Louisville Courier Journal)
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