Tiger Woods hit his club after landing his approach shot. (0:23)
Tiger Woods was cruising through the first round of the 104th PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club.
The 15-time major champion hit a 3-wood to the middle of the 10th hole and made a bogey. He made a layup on the par 3 14th and was 2 under.
Even after a bogey on the par-4 15th, Woods seemed to be in better shape than six weeks ago, when he labored through the weekend and finished 47th at the Masters. He seemed to be more confident with his putting, and he seemed to be more fluid off the tee.
On his second shot on the 18th, something went wrong. After hitting his tee shot to the perfect spot, just short of the creek on the right side of the fairway, Woods pulled his approach shot into a greenside Bunker. He slammed his wedge into the ground.
For the first time in the round, after that shot, Woods seemed uncomfortable and was limping more noticeably on his repaired right leg. He made the turn at even par after he bogeyed the 18th hole.
Woods was 2 over after bogeying the next two holes. He bogeyed three more holes, including his last two, after he scored on the third hole. He finished at 4-over 74.
Woods said his right leg was in pain after the round.
Woods said he couldn't load it. It is just golf. I don't play that if I don't do that.
In the round, Woods hit 10 of 14 fairways, but just 7 of 18 greens. He left himself with too many tricky putts and was 2-for-6 on sand saves. A few of his trademark stingers were offline.
Woods said that he did not hit a lot of good iron shots. I did not get the ball very far. I had a great start but didn't keep going. I didn't give myself a chance to look for it. I missed a lot of iron shots while trying to get the ball on the green. It was a frustrating day.
Woods got off to a good start this round, playing in his second official tour event since he was seriously injured in a car accident. All eyes were on Woods at Southern Hills, where he won his last PGA Championship in 2007, when he was playing with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and three-time winner Jordan Spieth in a marquee group.
After hitting his opening tee shot, Woods turned to a cameraman who had gotten too close as he walked down the fairway.
Woods asked if he would be willing to give him some breathing room.
Golf fans were holding their breath as Woods won his fourth PGA Championship. He ripped a 3-wood down the middle of No. 10 on his first shot of the round. He knocked his second shot from 95 yards to 3 feet.
The threesome faced a long wait at the No. 14 tee box after Woods had pars on the first three holes. Woods ate a large sandwich and joked with the two players. Woods knocked a 5-iron shot 13 feet on the par 3 hole. After five holes, he was at 2 under.
He made a mistake on the par-4 15th. His ball ended up in the rough on the right side after he nearly missed his tee shot. He knocked his second shot into the greenside Bunker and then hit his third about 21 feet past the hole. He two-putted.
Near the 15th anniversary of his last victory at Southern Hills, Woods finds himself in a familiar position after the first round. In 2007, he was 6 shots off the lead after the first 18 holes but fired a 7-under 63 in the second round to tie the course record.
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