Woods will settle for boring start at Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH -- Tiger Woods has been a lot of things in his return to golf -- occasionally brilliant, more often wayward, sometimes injured and home on his couch.

One thing he hasn't been is boring. His opening nine at Pebble Beach was a different story. With impressive ball striking but an uneven putter, Woods made the turn in the first round of the U.S. Open at one-over par, with a three-putt on the ninth hole the lone blight on his card.

However small the sample size, it showed Woods at his calculating best -- knowing where to miss, controlling his ball flight, putting himself in a position for birdie without risking something much bigger. There's no way to tell if he can keep this up over 72 holes. But for now it ranks as some of the most impressive golf Woods has played in 2010.

*-- Sam Weinman *