US Open Golf 2012: Tiger Woods Tiptoes Around Treacherous Olympic

At Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., Phil Mickelson lost a ball in a tree—yes, a tree—Bubba Watson found the rough to be an immovable object right of the first hole, Nick Watney had an albatross and, somehow, Tiger Woods managed to survive Olympic Club’s Lake Course. 

Woods came in with a respectable score for the US Open, one under par 69. 

Mickelson was six-over for the round and Watson was eight-over. 

“I was very much surprised at much the golf course had changed overnight,” Woods said. “Just how much speed that the fairways had picked up and the springiness of the greens. 

"We knew the greens were going to be a little quicker, but I didn’t think they would be this firm this early in the week.”   

How fast was it? On his second hole, the 10th, Woods hit a good drive and followed with a wedge.

“I had a little flip 60 [degree wedge] in there, and I landed it, what, ten paces on and it rolled off the back,” Woods explained. “It’s not too often you clip a to degree sand wedge like that, and it goes 50 feet. 

"So that’s a pretty good indication that it’s going to be a little bit difficult today.” 

Mickelson bogeyed the first hole and struggled all day.

“I fought hard there for a while trying to keep it a few over,” he said. “Three putting four really hurt because I probably tried to get a little aggressive. 

"I felt like I needed one birdie there.” 

He said it was a tough day in playing the way he was playing.

“I’ve got a tough challenge just to get to the weekend tomorrow,” Mickelson said.

“I was a little off here and there,” Bubba Watson said. 

Unfortunately, all players agree that a US Open course is one where you cannot be a little of your game. 

“First hole, got a bad lie,” Watson said. “Couldn’t move it out of the well.”

He had a bad swing on his third hole for what he called a quick bogey. On the 18th hole, the club got twisted on the chip shot, setting him up for a double. 

The sixth hole, which was playing 660 yards, was also a challenge for him.

"Six, I didn’t like it today,” Watson said. “I made a six. If I birdie it tomorrow, I love it.”

The marquis threesome of Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and defending champ Rory McIlroy all began the day by missing the first green to the right. 

Westwood flubbed the chip and the ball rolled nearly back to his feet for a fast double. They were all four over through nine holes. 

Donald was eight over through 14 holes while Westwood and McIlroy were hanging on for dear life at four over.

In tournament news, there will no longer be a 10 shot rule. The cut will be top 60 and ties playing on the weekend.

In San Francisco news, a fire in a BART station—the Bay area’s transit system—caused traffic snarls for rush hour.  By 3:30 announcements of “extreme delays” on the Bay Bridge were announced. 

On the golf course, another version of extreme delays—typical US Open first and second day, five-to-six hour rounds—were in evidence. 

For many it was not just a slow day. It was also painful. 

With 2.5 hours of daylight remaining, only six of 156 players were under par: Michael Thompson at four under, Tiger Woods at one under, David Toms at one under, Rickie Fowler at one under Ryo Ishikawa at one under and John Hahn at one under.   

Kathy Bissell is a Golf Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials from the USGA, PGA Tour or PGA of America.