Skip to main content

Tiger Woods begins his British Open by hitting it in the water

It was really, really hard to make a bogey on the first hole at St. Andrews Thursday morning, but Tiger still found a way.

While Jordan Spieth was up ahead making birdies on his first two holes of the British Open, Tiger Woods was right behind him making an inexcusable mistake to start his championship at St. Andrews.

Woods has bogeyed the first hole of the five of his last seven majors. It’s become such a renowned problem that there are now odds on Tiger opening with a bogey. It usually starts with a missed fairway left, but that is next-to-impossible at St. Andrews, where the first hole is basically an open field with no rough. It may be the widest first “fairway” in the world.

Tiger hit the fairway, but it wasn’t the prettiest swing and his ball settled well back of where most players had positioned themselves off the first tee. He was still in fine shape and a bogey was unlikely. Tiger, however, still found a way and hit a poor wedge short of the green, his ball rattling off the stone wall and landing in the burn.

He would chip on and clean up his putt for bogey, but it was a startling and outrageous mistake to make at the easy first hole. He gave 1.5 shots back to the field by making a bogey there.

UPDATE: After another awful approach shot, Tiger made bogey at the 2nd hole as well. He was the ONLY player in the field at the time to bogey the first two holes.

★★★

SB Nation presents: Can Jordan Spieth continue his Grand Slam chase at St. Andrews?

See More:

More in Golf

Golf
FedExCup Playoffs: Bubble players to watch at Wyndham ChampionshipFedExCup Playoffs: Bubble players to watch at Wyndham Championship
Golf

The Wyndham Championship is an important event for two well-known PGA Tour players

By RJ Ochoa
Golf
Michael Thorbjornsen’s first PGA Tour victory comes at Rocket ClassicMichael Thorbjornsen’s first PGA Tour victory comes at Rocket Classic
Golf

Michael Thorbjornsen took home his first PGA Tour win on Sunday at the Rocket Classic

By RJ Ochoa
Golf
Shiho Kuwaki wins 2026 AIG Women’s Open after two-hole playoffShiho Kuwaki wins 2026 AIG Women’s Open after two-hole playoff
Golf

Shiho Kuwaki is this year’s AIG Women’s Open Champion

By RJ Ochoa
Golf
PGA TOUR LIVE testing out new commentator-less broadcastPGA TOUR LIVE testing out new commentator-less broadcast
Golf

PGA Tour Live is testing out an announcer-less stream this week

By RJ Ochoa
Golf
Trey Mullinax suspended 6 months for violating PGA Tour Anti-Doping policyTrey Mullinax suspended 6 months for violating PGA Tour Anti-Doping policy
Golf

The PGA Tour announced that Trey Mullinax has been suspended for 6 months

By RJ Ochoa
Golf
Jenny Shin wins ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish OpenJenny Shin wins ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open
Golf

Jenny Shin had quite the win in Scotland

By RJ Ochoa