The World No 1, who flew into the UK yesterday with girlfriend Lindsay Vonn, played just nine holes at Muirfield to ensure he does not aggravate the injury that has sidelined him for six weeks.
“I’d better not push it. The ground’s going to be hard over here,” said Woods, who withdrew from the AT&T National event three weeks ago.
Woods is still taking anti-inflammatory tablets for the injury that he sustained at the Players Championship in May and caused him to wince in pain on several occasions as he trailed in a disappointing 32nd at the US Open last month.
But he showed no ill effects in plotting his way around Muirfield in the company of Dustin Johnson and Jason Day yesterday.
“It feels good,” he said. “I took a couple weeks off and that’s why I didn’t play and I started practising last week. It felt fine. That’s one of the reasons I let it heal – so I could go right back at it.”
Having been blown out of contention the last time the Open was held at Muirfield 11 years ago when impossible third-round conditions contributed to an 81 – the highest round of his professional career – Woods was more impressed with the blue skies and gentle breeze yesterday.
“You’re kind of hoping for this when you come over here. It’s obviously playing a lot quicker than it did in ’02,” said Woods. “These fairways have some fire to them. The greens aren’t up to speed, but I’m sure they will get there. It has been dry over here. This place is firm. We’re hitting the ball a long way downwind.”
With the wind behind him, Woods propelled a four-iron 285 yards down the responsive eighth fairway yesterday.