Tiger Woods is on fire at the US Open, hitting his first tee shot right down the middle of the 10th fairway at Pinehurst No. 2 before making a birdie.
The 48-year-old three-time US Open winner started the first round at 7:29 a.m. local time in North Carolina and, despite the early start, fans turned out in droves to watch Woods.
He teed off alongside 29-year-old Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, and 27-year-old Will Zalatoris, beating them both with his first tee shot. And he closed his first hole with a beautiful birdie on a difficult course.
After making the cut and finishing last at Augusta, Woods missed the cut at the PGA Championship in May.
But he came to Pinehurst optimistic about his chances this week.
Three-time US Open winner Tiger Woods is on the move at the US Open in North Carolina
It was an early start for Woods, 48, but the crowd was still there to watch him play.
“I feel like I have the strength to be able to do it,” he said. ‘It’s just a matter of doing it.
‘This golf course will test all aspects of your game, especially the mental one.
“We’ve been working on that and making sure he understands the game plan and is ready in two more days.” It’s like home. Heat and humidity is what we face every day at home in Florida, so that’s nothing new.
‘It’s just about making sure I stay hydrated and the mental effort that the heat will bring. It will bring it to all of us, not just me. They are all going to be tested.
‘They are going to be long rounds with drops and runoff on the greens. The rounds in terms of time will be a little longer. “Then when you’re exposed to heat for that long, that means a little bit of wear and tear.”
Woods arrived Sunday to examine the Pinehurst No. 2 course and his 15-year-old son Charlie has even been helping him prepare for the third major of the year.