The 108th U.S. Open at Torrey Pines unofficially kicked off yesterday morning. Tiger Woods was in the house.
The world's No. 1 player teed off on the South Course at 8 a.m. and, riding in a cart with his coach, Hank Haney, Woods played in 3 hours, 15 minutes. Security was tight, and no media or spectators were allowed on the course at the time Woods was playing.
JOHN GIBBINS / Union-Tribune
Tiger Woods, with his coach, Hank Haney, riding shotgun, steers his cart toward the 18th fairway as he ends his round.
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Woods, who will be paired with No. 2 Phil Mickelson and No. 3 Adam Scott in the first two rounds, according to an Associated Press report last night, hit a layup to 100 yards on the par-5 18th hole. Upon seeing that a handful of people had gathered near the green, Woods picked up his ball and was driven around the grandstands and directly to the parking lot.
In the parking lot, Woods loaded up his clubs, chatted briefly with Haney, climbed into the driver's seat and drove away.
It was Woods' first round on the South Course since he won his sixth Buick Invitational in January and nearly his first full practice round since April. His arrival in San Diego had been much anticipated because Woods is recovering from left knee surgery he had the week after the Masters. He has not played on the PGA Tour since then.
No player has been as successful at Torrey Pines as Woods, but it was critical for him to see the layout, which has been dramatically altered by the U.S. Golf Association for the Open. He likely wanted to get on the course before the tournament week officially begins on Monday. The first round of the U.S. Open is next Thursday.
“It went well,” Haney told The Associated Press later yesterday by phone. “He hit the ball really well. It was definitely a positive day.”
Haney noted the course was in “phenomenal” condition. He also said Woods was fine physically.
“Everything held up good,” Haney told AP. “Obviously, he didn't walk. But he hit the ball really good.”
The Torrey Pines golf course was eerily quiet yesterday morning, with only a few officials driving around in carts. Construction crews continued to work on the grandstands, including a crew painting the stands around the 18th hole that will hold 4,000 people.
There was far more commotion up in the lobby of the Torrey Pines Hilton adjacent to the golf course. There, a couple of dozen fans in blue and white jerseys milled about to get a glimpse of players from Argentina's men's soccer team, which was playing a friendly last night against Mexico before a sellout crowd at Qualcomm Stadium.
Micheel out
Shaun Micheel has withdrawn from the Open because of an injury and will be replaced by the No. 1 alternate from the Ohio sectional, Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, the NCAA Freshman of the Year at Oklahoma State.
Tod Leonard: (619) 293-1858; tod.leonard@uniontrib.com
