Tiger Woods starts defense of US Open with par on 1st hole of rain-soaked Bethpage

Woods pars 1st hole in defense of US Open title

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Tiger Woods’ defense of the U.S. Open championship started with an adventure. Woods pulled his tee shot 50 yards left into the rough before scrambling for an improbable par on his opening hole Thursday morning, as steady rain pelted an already-moist Bethpage Black.

Playing alongside fellow reigning major winners Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera, Woods’ first shot was so far off line he considered playing a second ball from the tee.

He wound up playing his second from the front of a merchandise tent and got up and down from a greenside bunker for par.