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Tiger Woods comments on his victory at the 2000 American Open at Pebble Beach. Woods destroyed the competition with a record of 15 shots.
Golfweek, USA TODAY & # 39; HUI NETWORK

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Tiger Woods did not have his best Thursday at the American Open.

It was an 18-hole course, one of the Woods was able to handle admirably while getting a score of less than 70 in the first round at Pebble Beach.

That leaves Woods five shots at the leader and playmate, Justin Rose. He is still very fit in the T-28 rankings when he left the 18th green, doing what he's always been able to do over the years – publish a number without his A game.

Now, he is firmly on the hunt and will start Friday's race at 11:24 am (ET) with Jordan Spieth and Rose.

US OPEN: On TV | Pictures | Departure times | Betting odds | Fancy

Tiger Woods heads to the fifth green after coming out of the gallery in the first lap. (Photo: Michael Madrid, USA TODAY Sports)

Woods kept Thursday's heat intact with his putter, including a 30-foot run at the normal 5 level to win the normal. This earned him a big hand pump the day he was visibly frustrated with his iron game.

Woods was generally precise at the start and put himself in good positions, but he still found himself turning around the greens to save the normal after sub-par attempts.

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After a birdie at No. 4 to end up at a sub 1, Woods has returned two with a double bogey ugly fifth. His starting shot was a good idea from the start, a double center that took the left direction and went even further beyond the green after hitting a road.

He made his way over the green and could not get on and off, doing a double bogey.

Woods rebounded with consecutive birdies at the sixth hole of normal 5 and the seventh hole of normal3, where he left 22 feet to allow a bird to return to normal during the round.

He finished the heat with 10 consecutive passes, including the 18th hole of Normal 5 where he crashed his tee shot, but it cost him a chance to become a bird after hitting his second in a difficult position in a bunker on the green.

In the end, he survived a classic game in the United States and must feel good about his chances of making a move Friday and position himself for a shot at No. 16 major on Sunday.

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