The Loop

Tiger Woods' first-round at St. Andrews summed up in photos

July 16, 2015

It was like watching a ghost who doesn't know he's passed.

Tiger Woods may ultimately journey back to golf's upper stratum. But the 14-time major winner's performance on Thursday at St. Andrews, a course he's historically dominated, illustrated how far away that echelon remains.

If a comeback was to be had in 2015, the Old Course was going to be the scene of the crime. With unconfined fairways and minimal undulation, the links provided a prime platform for the former No. 1 player.

Instead, Woods finds himself 11 shots back of the first-round leaders after an opening 76.

Here is Woods' Thursday showing summed up in photos:

/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e16b01eefe207f726b4_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-1tee.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e16add713143b42d9d4_blogs-the-loop-150716-Woods-7.jpg

Woods left his approach on No. 1 in the water, leading to a bogey and setting an inauspicious tone.

/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e16add713143b42d9ce_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-2-518.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e16b01eefe207f726b1_blogs-the-loop-150716-Woods-3-518.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17b01eefe207f726b9_blogs-the-loop-150716-Woods-4.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17add713143b42d9d8_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-5.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17b01eefe207f726bc_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-6.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17add713143b42d9dd_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-8.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17b01eefe207f726bf_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-9.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17add713143b42d9e5_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-10.jpg
/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/20/55ad7e17add713143b42d9e4_blogs-the-loop-150716-woods-18-518.jpg