TIGER WOODS regards Muirfield Village as his own back yard after winning the Memorial five times there.
But he quickly found himself in someone else’s back garden this time, after a wild drive flew out of bounds into the houses bordering the 15th fairway at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
Woods had started on the tenth hole, and that ugly swipe at a par five he has birdied countless times cost him a double bogey seven.
The former world No1 also dropped a shot on the other par five on the back nine – the 567 yards 11th after hitting his second shot into the water.
And he slumped to four over par when he failed to get up and down for a bunker at the short 16th.
But the day before the first round Woods boasted how he has never thrown in the towel – even when he shot 85 in his previous round here three years ago, when his back problems first flared up.
He showed his battling qualities with a gutsy fightback, highlighted by a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth, and he managed to claw his way to a level par 72.
That was just one shot behind playing partner Justin rose, who also had to overcome a sticky start. He was two over after seven holes but rattled off four birdies before a three-putt bogey at the ninth left a bad taste.
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Rose’s victory at Colonial last week means he can overtake Justin Thomas world no 1 with another win. Thomas also hit a shot out of bounds and threw in a double bogey on one of the par fives as he matched Woods’ 72.
Rose commented: “I had a pretty rushed preparation after winning on Sunday, and it took me a while to settle. But getting in below par on a day when the putter was ice-cold is a good start. I was pleased with the way I played the second nine.”
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