The Open Championship 2013: Tiger Woods and Golfers in Great Shape After Round 1

The opening round of a major is all about avoiding disaster. Going low is obviously a goal, but players don't want to watch their hopes quickly fade away.

That's especially true at the Open Championship, where there are pitfalls at every turn.

Muirfield certainly provided a serious challenge on Day 1, especially during the afternoon, when the course dried out and became lightning-quick. Any golfer who was able to get in the clubhouse under par should be at least content with their start.

With that in mind, let's check out three golfers who will head into Friday's action in prime position.

First, here's an updated look at the leaderboard. For a complete list of scores, visit Majors Championships' official site.

Zach Johnson, -5

Johnson came up just short at the John Deere Classic last week, as rising star Jordan Spieth outlasted him and David Hearn in a playoff. Johnson was able to carry over that form en route to capturing the clubhouse lead after Day 1.

The 2007 Masters champion came out on fire. He was five under par after seven holes, a run which included an eagle on the fifth hole.

He played even par from that point forward as the course began to toughen up, but it was still the day's best round.

Johnson got off to a promising start in this year's Masters as well. However, he posted a 76 in the second round to offset his opening-day success. Finding a way to avoid a similar fate this time around will be his main task on Friday.

Tiger Woods, -2

The first shot of Woods' day was terrible. The next 68 were much better.

After hitting his opening tee shot of the tournament into the deep rough, he bounced back to play very well during the tougher portion of the day in terms of conditions.

He knocked in five birdies and holed a couple of crucial par putts in order to put himself within striking distance. If he was struggling with the putter, his score could have easily been five or six shots worse. That bodes well moving forward.

The biggest key for Woods is finding fairways. If that means he must sacrifice some distance in order to keep his tee shots in the short grass, so be it. He just can't afford for many more holes like the first in the opening round if he's going to claim major No. 15.

 

Phil Mickelson, -2

The Open Championship has never treated Mickelson well. He's recorded just two top-10 finishes in the season's third major during his long career.

A victory at the Scottish Open last week pointed toward links improvement, however.

"Lefty" built off that success with a sold opening round that left him tied with Woods. He had a pair of birdies and a bogey on both halves of the course, avoiding the wild swings in play he's been known for in this event over the years.

Normally, it would be difficult to like Mickelson's chances given his British Open track record, but his performance last week and a solid first round are certainly moving him closer to the contender category.

Now, he must back it up on Friday.