Tiger Woods shows true colours after tumbling down US Open leaderboard in first round

Tiger Woods didn't waste a moment to fine-tune his golf game following his difficult opening round at the US Open, making a beeline for the driving range after scoring a four-over-par 74 at Pinehurst No. 2.

Woods was among the first batch of players to compete in the opening round of the year's third major, but it turned out to be a challenging day for the three-time champion. Despite flashes of his former brilliance with two birdies, six bogeys meant he has some catching up to do today.

In defence of Woods, the North Carolina course is proving to be a formidable challenge for most in the field, with the harsh rough and lightning-fast greens causing trouble for even some of the world's top players.

Woods is participating in only his fourth tournament of the season at the US Open, as he maintains a part-time schedule due to his ongoing battle for full fitness. The 15-time major winner's injury woes have been widely reported in recent years, leading to his decision to limit his playing time to take care of his body.

However, this time it seems Woods is eager to maintain the workload in an attempt to regain some form, having hit the practice facilities with his son Charlie after his opening round.

Discussing his physical condition after the round, he stated: "I'm physically getting better as the year has gone on. I just haven't been able to play as much because I just don't want to hurt myself pre, then I won't be able to play in the major championships.It's pick your poison, right? Play a lot with the potential of not playing, or not playing and fight being not as sharp."

The biggest question heading into the tournament was just how brutal the Pinehurst track would play for the world's best, with a number of big names in the build-up opening up on the sheer task presented by the course.

Woods believes the set-up is exactly how the USGA were hoping it would play on day one. "The greens are right where they want 'em," he commented. "A lot of the pins were right up on the crest of the green.

"A lot of the pins were -- if you dumped the ball in the middle of the green, it was into the grain then down grain, into the grain and then down grain."That's how the golf course is going to be set up.

"We know that going in here. Just a matter of putting the ball in correct spots and just making a bunch of pars and occasionally a birdie here and there, it can be done."