Woods blames putting for US Open misery

Bruced

Tiger Woods blamed his putting for a miserable opening day at the US Open after beginning his tournament with an eight over 78.

Woods started his round with a triple bogey on the first and it proved to be a sign of things to come after the 14-time major winner wracked up a pair of back-to-back double bogeys on the back nine.

There was just one birdie for the 42-year-old, who along with the likes of fellow big names Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy faces a major fight to even make the cut.

“I didn’t putt well today,” said Woods.

“I thought I drove it pretty darnn good for most of the day, but I just never really took advantage of the opportunities. And making a triple and two doubles, that’s not very good.

“It’s tough out there, but I shouldn’t make two doubles and a triple. I hit two bad putts on one and two, and for most of the day I just didn’t putt well.

“After that start, all I had to do was to try to shoot even par for the next 16 holes, and I’d be just fine. The guys weren’t going anywhere today, so I needed to hang in there. I kept reminding myself that Lanny Wadkins almost pulled himself in a play-off in ’86 with a round in the mid-60s on Sunday, so it can be done. This golf course is kind of setting up for that right now.

“It’s frustrating because I’m hitting it well, but in the last, I think, four tournaments, I have not putted well. So if I can putt like I did at the beginning of the year, we’ve got something. I just haven’t done that.”