Woods enjoys return to St Andrews

Tiger Woods returned to the scene of former triumph today and again avoided all of the Old Course’s treacherous bunkers.

Woods amazingly failed to find a single bunker during all 72 holes of his eight-shot victory at St Andrews in 2000.

And the world number one successfully side-stepped all 112 hazards in his practice round this afternoon in the company of 1998 champion Mark O’Meara and former US Masters winner Fred Couples.

Woods did play a few shots from the Road Hole bunker after dropping balls in there on purpose, but looked in good form, almost driving the green on the ninth and 10th, par fours measuring 352 and 380 yards respectively.

Several new tees have been built to add more length to the course after Woods’ record winning total of 19 under par five years ago, and the 29-year-old admits the course is set up for the long hitters.

“Look at the list of winners, Jack (Nicklaus) has won here, John Daly, I’ve won here – we are not short hitters!” Woods added. “The course is made for someone who hits the ball long because the par fives are reachable and a couple of par fours you can drive the ball on.

“That’s an advantage and some of the cross bunkers that some guys have to worry about, others can fly them and that’s obviously an advantage.”