Tiger Woods struggled in the first round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla, shooting a 1-over 72. This marked his 10th straight round at a major without shooting under par. His issues were not related to his health but rather to rust as he missed opportunities for birdies throughout the round. His touch also abandoned him late, resulting in three-putts on his final two holes.
At this point in his career, Woods’ body does not allow him to play as often as he would like. He wakes up each day unsure of how he will feel due to his physical condition. Despite feeling stronger, he still struggles with inconsistent performances. After spending the last few weeks preparing for the PGA Championship in Florida, he found it challenging to get into a competitive flow upon arriving at Valhalla.
Although Woods had moments of promise during his round, he was unable to capitalize on birdie opportunities and found himself well down the leaderboard. With rain expected on Friday, the course at Valhalla is likely to become more difficult, which may pose challenges for Woods and his surgically rebuilt right leg. He will need to produce an under-par round to have a chance of making it through the weekend.
Despite his struggles in the first round, Woods remains hopeful of being able to play through Sunday at the PGA Championship. He has previously shown the ability to bounce back from slow starts and is aiming to do the same at Valhalla. However, another slow start in the second round could lead to another early exit for Woods, who has not had consistent success in recent appearances at major tournaments.
Overall, Woods’ performance in the first round of the PGA Championship highlighted his ongoing challenges with rust and inconsistency. While he showed flashes of his previous brilliance, he was ultimately unable to put together a competitive round. As he continues to navigate his physical limitations and the demands of tournament golf, Woods will need to find a way to overcome his recent struggles and put himself in contention for a strong finish at Valhalla.
