Tiger Woods suffers disastrous start to US Open with an opening four-over 74, leaving himself facing a battle to make the cut at Pinehurst in North Carolina

Someone made a quick buck on Thursday morning. It was a little after 7.30am in the sand hills of North Carolina - Pinehurst was still and quiet as streams of spectators weaved their way between the fairways and grandstands and giant white tents until they reached hole 10, where Tiger Woods began his 23rd US Open.

The 48-year-old had leaked his second shot into the wiregrass and sand down the right - the ‘native area’ as its known. But Woods clipped a delicate chip over a bunker and the ball settled around 12ft from the hole.

Soon a shriek cut through the silence. ‘Plus 220 for an opening birdie!’ a fan shouted. Translation: he stood to double his money and have a bit left over - provided Woods made his putt. He did. The ball dropped into the cup, the galleries exploded and Woods was back in familiar territory: atop the leaderboard at a major.

‘He’s going to win!’ someone cried. They dared to dream and, for a while, it seemed Woods’ new swing coach – 15-year-old son Charlie – might know his stuff. A few hours later, however, as the 48-year-old watched his final tee shot trickle away from the eighth green, frustration finally boiled. ‘F*** off,’ Woods mouthed. It became that sort of day.

Three-time US Open winner Tiger Woods struggled during the opening round at Pinehurst 

It was an early start for Woods, 48, but the crowds were still out in force to see him play 

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Early on, he drove the ball beautifully and showed tremendous control with the putter. He stayed in the red and he lingered around the leaders. He found fairway after fairway while partners Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris – who tussled for victory in 2022 – took a more scenic route to several greens.

They were among the early victims of these devilish greens, which enjoy nothing more than sending an errant putt back to whence it came. Woods had predicted a ‘war of attrition’ this week. But time and again on Thursday morning, he rode the ridges and contours to save par.

The issue these days is stamina. Woods has completed four rounds just once in 2024. He has finished one major since 2022. He was only here thanks to a special exemption from the USGA.

The 48-year-old insisted his body was strong enough to survive the week. He stretched his back and wiped sweat from his face, as temperatures topped 20 degrees before 8am. But by 10.30 on Thursday morning, he was five off the pace. After one birdie and five straight pars, Woods dropped four shots in five holes. He was still finding fairways but putts began to roll on by and rust started to stain his salmon-pink shirt.

At one point, Woods had a putt to join leader Ludvig Aberg, the brilliant 24-year-old debutant, at two-under par. Six holes later, they were separated by six shots. By the time he had signed for a four-over-par 74, that gap to the lead was nine shots. In truth, it could have been much worse.

After five bogeys in seven holes, Woods eventually stopped the bleeding with a birdie and a couple more crucial par saves. But then came a bogey on the penultimate hole – a final twist of the knife on what should prove his penultimate trip round this brutal course.

‘I'm hoping I don't get too tight in the car ride back - I can get tight in air-conditioning,’ Woods said. ‘It can go so far the other way here - the wrong way. It's just so hard to get back. This is a golf course that doesn't give up a whole lot of birdies… I thought I did the one thing I needed to do today, which is drive the ball well. I just didn't capitalize.’

When Woods headed for the clubhouse, Patrick Cantlay led on five-under-par. Aberg, Tony Finau and Matthieu Pavon were on his tail, with the world Nos 1, 2 and 3 – Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy - due out on Thursday afternoon.

Woods opened with a birdie but gave that shot back with bogey on 17 and another at 18

Even a bounce-back birdie at the par-five fifth couldn't minimize the damage

Sergio Garcia was the best-placed LIV golfers on one-under-par after Brooks Koepka fell away. He wasn’t alone. Courses don’t come much more draining and punishing than Pinehurst. Just ask Woods and Fitzpatrick.

The 2022 champion began with a birdie, too. Before long, though, the 29-year-old from Sheffield was chuntering in frustration as he became a regular visitor to those native areas. He finished one better than Woods on three-over-par. What the likes of Phil Mickleson (+9) and Justin Thomas (+7) would have given for a 73.

One seasoned observer suggested some players might need counselling after day one. Woods may only require a good rest ahead of another brutal test of his body and his grit.

‘I'm physically getting better as the year has gone on. I just haven't been able to play as much because I just don't want to hurt myself pre, then I won't be able to play in the major championships,’ he said. ‘It's pick your poison, right?’