Slow start for Woods

Tiger Woods got his bid for a 15th major title under way in the Open Championship at Turnberry today – but was being upstaged by the oldest Man in the field.

Woods failed to take full advantage of the benign conditions which greeted the early starters, reaching the turn in 34 after hitting a number of wayward drives.

The world number one also embarrassingly topped his second shot on the ninth, throwing his club to the ground after a shot more akin to a weekend hacker, although he did at least save par.

However, at one under he was three adrift of clubhouse leader John Senden and, amazingly, 59-year-old Tom Watson, who won the Open here in 1977 after the famous “Duel in the Sun” with Jack Nicklaus.

Watson, a five-time Open champion, had birdied the first from five feet, holed from 20ft for a second on the third and saw another birdie putt on the next lip out.

The American, who underwent hip replacement surgery in October last year, birdied the 10th and 12th as well to carry on the trend of veteran players excelling in the Open, Greg Norman having finished third last year at the age of 53.

Norman was not having such a happy time 12 months on however. The Australian, winner here in 1986, had warned that it was possible to lose a ball just “nine of 10 feet” off the fairway, and his prediction came true on the fifth.

After driving into rough right of the fairway, Norman hacked his second shot into more heavy rough left of the fairway and was unable to find the ball after a five-minute search.

That led to a double bogey six and four bogeys in six holes on the back nine left him seven over par and 76th out of the 78 players on the course.

As well as Watson, Woods had been overshadowed by playing partner Lee Westwood in the early stages, the Englishman starting with three straight birdies and missing from four feet for another on the fourth before a sloppy bogey six on the par-five seventh.

Woods had completely misread his birdie putt on the first, birdied the second but bogeyed the third and was lucky to get away with another poor drive on the seventh.

Former Open champion Mark Calcavecchia had briefly held the clubhouse lead, the 1989 winner returning a 67 after being in the first group out at 6:30am.

“The fairways are narrower (than in 1994), there’s a few more bunkers and I don’t remember the rough being anywhere near this thick,” said the 49-year-old. “Any time you find the thick rough you’re just chipping out.

“But I love this tournament. I tell people it’s my favourite of the year to come to.”

Also on three under were England’s David Howell and American Stewart Cink, with Ireland’s Graeme McDowell alongside Westwood and Sergio Garcia on two under.