US PGA Championship: Tiger Woods reaches lowest opening round in major since 2012
Tiger Woods only plays in his fourth PGA event of 2020 due to a back injury and the coronavirus pandemic Date: August 6-9 Location: TPC Harding Park, San Francisco [194590006] Coverage [1945900011] ] Listen for live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, plus live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.
Tiger Woods shot his lowest opening round in a major since 2012 with a two-under-par 68 at the US PGA Championship in San Francisco.
The 15-time big winner played alongside Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who finished level par on the first major of the year at TPC Harding Park.
The English Justin Rose placed an impressive four under 66 to sit one behind clubhouse leader Jason Day.
Brooks Koepka, who went for a third consecutive American PGA victory, also achieved a 66.
New world number one Justin Thomas, who played with Woods and McIlroy, opened with a two-over 72.
The 102nd American PGA was replaced from May on because of the coronavirus pandemic and is played with no spectators.
Woods back on familiar ground
After finishing his 11-year wait for a major victory in 2019, a back injury and pandemic meant Woods spent five months out in 2020.
In his first post-closing event, the 44-year-old American blocked 40th in the Memorial Tournament last month, but said on Tuesday that he is excited about the changes he has made in his game while playing at home.
Chasing a record equivalent to the fifth American PGA win, he's back in familiar territory and often played in Harding Park as a junior and at Stanford University.
Woods has won both the professional events he has played there – the WGC-American Express Championship in 2005 and as part of the US team during the 2009 Presidential Cup.
Starting on the par-five 10th, he made a birdie before claiming one on the 13th.
They were canceled by bogeys on either side of the bend, but Woods birdied three of the four holes on the back nine to complete a solid start.
