ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — The place which has been so great to Tiger Woods was quite great Thursday — for him as well as all those who were means to take advantage.

Woods shot 5-under-par 67 upon a Old Course, relating his first-round measure from 2005 as well as only a single some-more than his total in 2000 — a dual prior years he won a Open Championship during St. Andrews.

It was a great proceed for a three-time Open champion, who is perplexing for his 15th vital championship yet initial feat this year.

And yet, he trailed Rory McIlroy by 4 shots as well as sees multiform alternative names upon tip of his upon a leaderboard.

“With a conditions we had, we had to go get it,” Woods said. “You had to take value of it. we felt similar to we did a flattering great pursuit of which today, as well as we let a turn mature. Most of a guys were underneath early, even yet we wasn’t, as well as we said, only let a turn mature, only keep unresolved in there as well as keep plugging along, as well as it could have been a flattering great turn today.”

Despite blank multiform opportunities early in his round, Woods stayed patient, removing his second birdie putt to tumble during a seventh as well as personification his final twelve holes in 4 underneath par.

“There’s no need to force it,” Woods said. “Just go forward as well as only gain upon sure holes, as well as only given I’m 1 underneath doesn’t meant we need to go force things. ? we had copiousness of holes left, yet a conditions were soft as well as only go forward as well as get it done. And it happened.”

He done only a single spook for a day, as well as strike fourteen of sixteen fairways as well as seventeen of eighteen greens.

Using a brand new dabble for a initial time in eleven years, Woods indispensable 32 putts around a Old Course — a series which competence be a bit dubious given he gathering a par-4 12th hole as well as 2-putted for birdie as well as additionally knocked it upon a par-5 14th in 2 as well as 2-putted for birdie.

“I’m in great shape,” pronounced Woods, who played multiform groups in front of John Daly, who bolted to a tip of a leaderboard early as well as staid for a 66, as well as McIlroy, who scored equally a vital championship jot down by sharpened 63. “I took value of a golf march when we indispensable to take value of it. As of right now, we’re upon a great side of a draw, yet we do not know tomorrow. we mean, a continue is ostensible to come in here during eleven [a.m.], yet there’s no weather, so we’ll see.”

After a nasty day Wednesday, a conditions were ease via a sunrise as well as never as bad as predicted. After noon, there was occasional sleet as well as most some-more wind, yet it was still a day to go low.

Woods got in to difficulty when his tee shot during a Road Hole, a par-4 17th, went in to a left rough. From there, he was means to allege a round to a front of a green, yet he longed for a 4-footer which would have saved par.

Then during a par-4 finishing hole, Woods gathering his tee shot reduced of a swale well known as a Valley of Sin. His putt from off a immature came up short, as well as afterwards he longed for a birdie putt.

Woods is perplexing to turn a initial player to win 3 times during a same vital championship venue (excluding Augusta National for a Masters) given Harry Vardon won his third Open Championship during Prestwick in 1914.

Woods won a 2000 Open here by 8 strokes as well as a 2005 Open by 5 shots. He additionally won in 2006 during Royal Liverpool in England.

This is only Woods’ seventh contest of a year as well as he hasn’t played this most tournaments worldwide in a deteriorate but winning given 2001.

“He’s personification heated golf right now,” pronounced Justin Rose, who has won twice not long ago upon a PGA Tour as well as played in Woods’ organisation Thursday. “You can discuss it he’s heated as well as motivated. we do not consider that’s changed.”

Bob Harig is a golf bard for ESPN.com.