Tiger sells himself short but not out of contention

UNFORTUNATELY, Tiger Woods played with caution. That is why one day into the 138th Open Championship, the world’s greatest player is hard to find, buried well down the leaderboard.

No, you can’t go so far as to say he shot himself out of contention, but sitting at 1-over 71, seven shots off the lead, Woods faces the largest first-round deficit in any of the 12 British Opens he has played as a professional.

A major championship machine? Sure he is, what with 14 in his possession. But remember this about Woods’ major recipe: Start fast, leap into the lead, then apply the firmest front-running grip golf has ever seen.