Tiger struggles with leg pain in first round of PGA Championship

Tiger Woods plays his shot on the 14th tee during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Tiger Woods struggles with leg pain in first round of PGA Championship

By Adam Stites | Last updated 5/19/22

Tiger Woods started his day Thursday with a birdie and was two under par through his first five holes at the PGA Championship, but his round went downhill after the hot start.

Woods, 46, bogeyed seven of his last 13 holes of the first round and finished outside the top 100 players of the day. After the four-over performance, Woods said his right leg — which was severely injured in a car crash last year — was in pain throughout the day.

"Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts," Woods said Thursday, via ESPN. "It's just golf. I don't play that, if I don't do that, then I'm all right."

Battling through it. pic.twitter.com/n1cnPaY38f
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2022

Last month, Woods made his return to the PGA Tour after more than a year to play in the 2022 Masters. After starting the tournament with an impressive one-under-par performance in round one, Woods tailed off and finished each of the last two rounds six over.

The PGA Championship will cut players not in or tied for a spot in the top 65 at the end of the first 36 holes of the tournament, meaning Woods will likely need to make up strokes in round two to play all 72 holes.

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