Tiger Woods tees off for first practice

at a wet and chilly Turnberry

Rainy, chilly - by US summer standards - weather greeted Tiger Woods for his first practice round over Turnberry today.
Without hitting any balls before hand, he drove off with a long iron just before 1pm.
Caddie Steve Williams must have forgotten to pack his trousers. He was wearing shorts. Only mad dogs and New Zealanders wear shorts in Scotland at any time, and certainly not in July.
Turnberry is uncharted territory for the world's No 1 golfer. Mind you he had never seen Hoylake before he arrived to win his third Open title at Royal Liverpool in 2006.
The last time the Ayrshire links of Turnberry hosted the open was in 1994. Woods did not play in his first open until the following year over the Old Course, St Andrews.
Woods comes into the Open after a victory last week at his own AT&T National, his third victory of the year, each coming two weeks before a major championship. Woods then went on to tie for sixth at both the Masters and U.S. Open.
Last year, Woods missed the Open while he was recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. It was the first time he had not played in a major since 1996, and Padraig Harrington went on to win his second straight Open.
Since returning from surgery in February, Woods has played in nine tournaments, with top 10s in all eight stroke-play events and a US PGA Tour-leading three victories.