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Tiger Woods opens Hero World Challenge with up-and-down 73
Any breakdown of Tiger Woods’ first competitive round since the Wyndham Championship in 2015 is relative to expectations. Of course, opinions regarding what would constitute a success for the 14-time major winner in his opening round ranged from “leading the tournament” to “not getting carried off in a gurney.”
Fortunately, with respect to the second extreme mentioned, Woods round was a success. He suffered no apparent issues with his surgically repaired back. And with respect to the first, Woods tied the first-round lead with his birdie at the eighth hole, although that was his high-water mark on the leaderboard.
The easily digestible version of Woods’ opening round: He was 4-under par through eight holes, but he struggled to keep his head above water after that point. He bogeyed two par fives, carding a sloppy double bogey and finding the water with his tee shot at the closing hole en route to another double. Ultimately, Woods finished the day at 1-over, second to last in the field of 18.
With regards to Woods’ full swing, his action looked a little longer and smoother with a little less right side through the ball. We’ll leave the more in-depth analysis to the Tom Stickneys and Dennis Clarks of the world, though. (For his part, Brandel Chamblee found plenty to criticize in Woods’ full swing).
Off the tee, Woods looked to favor the draw but missed left several times, both narrowly (as with his opening tee shot), and more widely (as he did at the 10th, 14th and 18th holes). A few piped drives, such as his bomb at the par-five 15th, were good to see. On his iron approach shots from the fairway and on par-3s, he worked the ball both ways and varied trajectory, showing an encouraging amount of control.
Looking like an assassin in head-to-toe black, Woods’ only real hiccup on the front nine was a flubbed pitch from short of the ninth hole. He stumbled a bit during the middle portion of the round, making two bogeys in three holes from Nos. 9-11, but managed to avert round-derailing disaster until a double-bogey six at the 16th that went all kinds of wrong after a drive that found the fairway.
The WRX audience was no doubt keen to see how Woods would perform with the TaylorMade M2 in the bag, replacing his Nike Vapor Speed Prototype. Likewise, the M1 fairway woods and the 79-time Tour winner’s return to Old Reliable, his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS, which largely served him well.
Related: See the clubs Tiger has in the bag this week
And, of course, the equipment change that played a starring role in every shot: his switch to the Bridgestone B330s. You look at something like his controlled approach from 96 yards with wedge at No. 7, as well as the roll out on a couple of long early pitches, and you can draw the conclusion that Woods is pretty comfortable with the ball. Certainly he tried to play a variety of approach shots, with largely positive results.
Here’s how TW’s scorecard looked.
But more excitingly, from a visual standpoint, here are the highlights. This tidy pitch from behind the green at the par-five 3rd led to Woods’ first birdie of the round.
That didn’t take long.
Tiger Woods’ chip leads to his first birdie of the year. #QuickHits https://t.co/m9esQ8FLZS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2016
Woods’ second stellar mid-iron approach on a three-shotter, this at the par-three 12th.
Iron game strong for Tiger Woods. Whew.#QuickHits https://t.co/ERVJy6iMHj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2016
A beautiful par-saving putt after making a mess of the 298-yard par-4. Woods pulled his drive left into the waste area, went over the green from a hard-packed lie, then hit a sub-standard bunker shot to the fringe.
First Tiger Woods fist pump of the year.#QuickHitshttps://t.co/uuEAvjv0tw
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2016
And Woods’ assessment of his opening-round 73
“I hit the ball in three bushes and a water ball today. It could have been something really good. I got off to a nice solid start and made a few mistakes there and consequently got it going the wrong way.”
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
KEN jOHNSTOM
Dec 2, 2016 at 8:28 pm
There is no doubting that Tiger is amongst the greatest golfers ever and can still entertain and play some excellent shots. However, J.B., Henrik, Hideki, Dustin, Bubba, Rickie, Jordan, Patrick et al do not deserve to be relegated to having us watch only a couple of their putts, whilst we watch replay after replay of the guy who after all finishes second last in the field on the first day . He did well today, but is still in the middle of the pack. Get over him and show us the leaders TODAY please!!!!! I don’t want to watch Tiger mopping his brow or why he chunked a chip to the green for the second or third time, when I can be watching live golf. It was wonderful watching lots of different golfers when he was indisposed. PLEASE get us back to that scenario.
Andy C
Dec 2, 2016 at 3:46 pm
Looking at Tiger on TV now, to my eyes, he looks smaller. Maybe he lost some weight/muscle, or maybe wearing a bigger shirt. Less of a body builder like builds will suit him better. Only time will tell, but too much muscle can’t/couldn’t help with flexibility and his back before.
Hope that he will make some noise this year. Always fun to watch him on Sunday late afternoons.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 2, 2016 at 2:12 pm
A 65 today! Good for Tiger. I think he’s a more mature, more humble, more cheerful, more human guy these days. Hard not to like the guy again. But when he took off his cap on the 18th the dude’s got quite the bald spot. Happens to the best of us… though not to me.
Mongoose
Dec 2, 2016 at 2:05 pm
How many of us have a foundation that gives millions to kids, golf is a game, period…
Mongoose
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Who moves the needle more than Tiger, maybe Rory, or Day? Zero Americans… I would love to see Tiger make his competitors melt under his pressure. All the US players have bromances, zero fire… I miss that…
You like Dak
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Tiger Woods 79, You ?
4right
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Tiger haters-Zero
Keith
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:00 pm
To everyone bashing tiger please list your top 5 greatest achievements in your life or career and let us compare… Do any of you have majors? Pga tour wins? A billion dollars? Hmmm???? Don’t think so. Since most of us play golf because of this man and his greatness you should all quiet down and be thankful and happy he’s back playing
Rors
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Yes sir!!!
TexasSnowman
Dec 2, 2016 at 12:17 pm
As mentioned in the article, I would like to hear from Someone(Tom S?., Dennis C?, Cross field?) other than Brandel on Tigers ‘new swing’…..Brandel seems to think his right elbow is ‘behind him’ too much and he will need to rely too much on timing to be consistent, also that he is too steep, especially in the short game if I heard correctly. His First round was a 73 that should have been a 68; granted he stumbled at the end, but thats gotta be more encouraging that a scrambling 73 that should have been a 77.
Rors
Dec 2, 2016 at 11:40 am
Tiger has earned the right, let it happen, and for you all experts out there that can’t break 80, shut up…
Smokin' Gun
Dec 2, 2016 at 11:30 am
Let history decide, not some “never was” on the golf channel. The morning drive is bearable only because Gary W, Charlie R, and Chris DM, others are hacks…
Looper
Dec 2, 2016 at 11:16 am
Way to many Brandel Chamblees’ in this forum…
Par4
Dec 2, 2016 at 11:24 am
I will admit I’m a huge Tiger “golf” fan. I was glued to my TV yesterday from start to finish. At one point I muted the comments of Mr Chamblee, I get it, that’s what he is paid to do, but really!!! He was over the top critical of Mr Woods play yesterday. Tiger himself can’t live up to tiger of yesteryear, we all are aware of that. But IMO I feel to critique in that fashion you have to be at the level of the person you are talking about. I would understand Jack, or Arnie, maybe Lee, but who in the world is Brandel…
Leon
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:51 am
The M1 may serve him better. The M2 has too much draw basis. It is a great club, high launch, low spin, better sound and feel, plus very forgiving. But it is just overly early to turn to the left.
Mike Ryan
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:27 am
He’s done!
Dat
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:10 am
Fair assessment for once.
ooffa
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:00 am
Maybe next week he can play in an event with only 10 players. That way he can have a top ten showing in at least one tournament this year.
Bert
Dec 2, 2016 at 8:53 am
Interesting until he went south. Hope he plays well and not chunk another chip as he did yesterday He’s not in last place and only 1-shot behind many others. My bet is he’ll finish in the middle of the pack.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 1, 2016 at 11:01 pm
Hey… Tiger beat the Olympic Gold Medalist.
Guia
Dec 1, 2016 at 10:05 pm
Not a great day and he has always been renowned for erratic driver play. A 73 after a 16 month layoff from competition isn’t that bad for the first day. The field has only 18 players and he is in 17th place. However, he is only 1 stroke worse than: Bubba Watson E F E 72 — — — 72
T12 —
Brandt Snedeker E F E 72 — — — 72
T12 —
Zach Johnson E F E 72 — — — 72
T12 —
Patrick Reed E F E 72 — — — 72
T12 —
Brooks Koepka E F E 72 — — — 72
17 —
Tiger Woods 1 F 1 73 — — — 73
18 —
Justin Rose 2 F 2 74 — — — 74
Guys that have been playing regularly. Not a bad showing, he had I think 2 balls in the water and 1 unplayable lie and still managed a 1 over par.
I assume that there is no cut, it should be very interesting how he finishes out the week. If he could get to the middle of the pack I would consider it a very successful start.
I think we are all waiting to see how long physically he can endure. Anyone notice how lean he looked?
Uhit
Dec 2, 2016 at 5:18 am
I´m surprised how well he started the front nine…
…and I guess, he was just to nervous to keep this level up.
He probably has to learn (mentally) to accept, that he can compete successfully again.
Great to see him smile again!
erlybrd
Dec 1, 2016 at 10:01 pm
The game of golf will go on with or without Tiger. It had its moments in the sun with the rise of Tiger Woods, but it is now time to be in the shadows with other “sports” such as bowling and billiard.
It is a great game whether it’s cool or not, or with or without Tiger Woods.
The Truth
Dec 1, 2016 at 9:35 pm
I agree Steve. Tiger is going to keep on stinking up the joint until the back goes. I can’t wait to hear the excuses. Tiger is going down, like the syndrome.
Tal
Dec 2, 2016 at 4:29 am
The lack of respect for Tiger as a golfer from some people is incredible. He’s a hall of game golfer who has had multiple surgeries and yet people choose to belittle his achievements by attacking his swing and his recent form. There’s never any consideration for how mentally tough it must be to see this level of decline in your game and how frustrating it must be to come under constant fire, especially when idiots like you talk about him as if he has no right to be out there!
satch_boogie
Dec 2, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Totally agree with this. Arguably the best player ever to play. I want to see him out there playing.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 2, 2016 at 2:15 pm
I think for most people the lack of respect comes from his cheating on his wife 100’s of times. Few people, self included, disrespect his golf game.
skip
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:25 am
wow. classy.
Den
Dec 1, 2016 at 7:00 pm
I would think Tiger has herd all he wants to hear about the golf swing…after 79 tour wins I would think it is time for all “Instructors” to just drop it…if Tigers swing does not do it for him so what, he has already gained status as one of the best to ever play the game.
Tony L
Dec 1, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Totally agree. All the stinking experts no one has even heard come out of the blue when Tiger tees it up.
Golfbuddy
Dec 1, 2016 at 6:01 pm
He’s not, and nobody expected him to be, the same player he was, pre-injuries. Given the media microscope on him, and the changes he had to make, he did pretty well. I hope he’s around for the final day.
Patricknorm
Dec 1, 2016 at 4:45 pm
Regardless of what you think of Tiger it’s kind of inspiring to see an athlete that was clearly the most dominant in golf, fallen because of multiple back surgeries, play some decent golf today. He seemed to be sweating profusely not because of the heat, but because he was churning inside. Still a really up,and down round but given his injury history, I’d take a plus one result any day.
Like the announcers said many times , Tiger is the needle.
alexdub
Dec 1, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Considering he was sweating like he was on day two of a detox, +1 isn’t that bad.
Boobsy McKiss
Dec 2, 2016 at 12:21 am
LOL. I did notice the sweat pouring off his grill. Were the other competitors sweating as much?
Par4
Dec 2, 2016 at 11:34 am
I noticed that also, wow looked like he went thru a car wash at times…