Woods has geography lesson

Until yesterday the only knowledge Tiger Woods had of the venue for the 132nd Open Championship was from a few tapes of past Royal St George's Opens provided by the Golf Channel. After spending a week in front of his television at home in Orlando, as well as on the practice range, the world No 1 experienced the links here for the first time yesterday afternoon.

He set off just before three o'clock in glorious sunshine, but with the sea breeze making for challenging conditions. Woods only has three more rounds until Wednesday to learn about a course that at first glance can be bewildering. More than a few times his playing partner, the talented young American Charles Howell, had to direct Woods from the green they were on to the next tee.

The geography lesson included the vital bit between tees and greens, while he will be hoping the prevailing wind blows in the next couple of days to give him a different look at the course.

"You need to play a few rounds to get an idea of where you need to go," Woods said. "There are a lot of blind shots, but you also have to take into account the different winds." The firmness of the browning fairways reminded Tiger of St Andrews, where he won his only Open title three years ago. And he was quick identify the course's main defence.

"The fairways are the most severe I have ever seen," Woods said. "Those slopes are steep. I hit a two-iron down the middle at the 17th, but it ended up in the left rough because I hit it too firm."

Woods won the Western Open, his fourth title of the year, last Sunday, but decided not to embark on his usual Open preparation playing on the great links of Ireland and instead flew straight to Kent from Florida.

If staying at home renewed speculation about continuing discomfort in his knee following surgery last december, there was little sign of a problem yesterday.