The British Open Championships are underway in Scotland at Muirfield Golf Links and after all the preparation, the Thursday round saw Zach Johnson take the lead at five under, while a number of other players are all within striking distance on the leaderboard, including Mark O'Meara, Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson and 19-year-old Jordan Spieth, who is coming off of his first PGA win.
Woods is the number one ranked player in the world and leads the tour this year with four victories, but the one he really would like to get is at Muirfield. Woods has gone 20 straight majors without getting a victory and it hasn't happened since back in 2008 when he won the US Open on basically one knee in the playoff at Torrey Pines. Woods has four more titles to win to set the all-time record and while he is still fairly young at 37, he needs to start winning some now before it gets too late.
Woods appeared to be on pace to shatter the record before his sex scandal and subsequent downfall, but since all that he has appeared to turn the corner, at least in regular tournaments. His four wins this year are more than anyone else and Woods looks more relaxed on the course than ever and that could be because of the presence of his girlfriend Lindsey Vonn, who has accompanied him to numerous events already this year. Woods had a rough go of it the last time he played this year at the US Open and after injuring his elbow, he did not compete until the Open Championship.
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The layoff obviously didn't hurt too badly, as Woods finished with a very solid 2-under-par 69 to sit in the top 10 on the leaderboard as play heads into Friday. Johnson is tops at five under and Woods is tied with a number of players in his spot at ninth, including Angel Cabrera and Mickelson. Woods had some trouble on the 12th and on a few other holes, but he got it together the rest of the way and now appears to be in control of his own destiny at Muirfield, as long as the weather holds.
Woods had some problems off the tee, but he was pleased at his play after the last time the Open was at Muirfield, as he hit the worst score of his career with an 81 and after not playing for over a month, he didn't look lost at all on the course. Graeme McDowell played with Woods and said his performance was impressive and now the duo will get started with Louis Oosthuizen bright and early at around 10 am local time, or 4:44 am on the East coast for those fans at home. Woods will be looking to finally break his major drought and it couldn't come any sooner, as he is getting older with every major and how long his body can hold up is anyone's guess. Woods will be back at it on Friday morning and into the weekend.
