Tiger Woods stumbles to 1-over at PGA Championship after first round ‘grind’

Tiger Woods shot a 1-over 72 in the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla on Thursday — his first competitive round since finished last at the Masters in April.

Tiger — who started on the back nine and played with Adam Scott (+1) and Keegan Bradley (-2) — briefly moved under par with a vintage birdie on the par-5 7th. But, he finished bogey-bogey on the par-3 8th and par-4 9th — a result of sloppy three-putts.

“It was a grind today, certainly,” said Tiger, who won the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. “It wasn’t the way I like to finish off rounds. But, long way to go, and we’ll see what happens.”

“I three-whipped the last two holes. Wasn’t very good. Bad speed on 8; whipped it past the hole. And 9, hit it short. Hit it off the heel of the putt and blocked the second one. So wasn’t very good on the last two holes.”

The 15-time major champion bogeyed the par 3 11th, but soon moved back to even with an 18-foot birdie on the par-4 13th. On the par-4 12th, Tiger salvaged a wayward drive into the deep rough with a slick 8-iron punch out onto the green. He sank the 15-footer — amid a run of three straight clutch one-putts.

“Just an 8-iron,” he said after with a smile. “Easy par.”