Tiger Woods carded a 4-over 74 to begin his U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina on Thursday.

It was more of the same for the 2024 Edition of Tiger Woods: Flashes of excellence, solid with the driver, passable with the putter, yet frustratingly errant — and obviously rusty — on approach.

“I didn't hit my irons particularly well,” said Tiger. “Didn't putt that great. Drove it on the string all day. Unfortunately I just didn't capitalize on it.”

Tiger, who teed off at 7:29 a.m. ET with 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (+3, 73) and Will Zalatoris (+5, 75), opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th, thanks to an impressive wedge shot out of the sand from about 50 yards away.

After six consecutive pars — including a nifty up-and-down out of the bunker on the par-4 12th — he bogeyed four of five holes around the turn: the par-4 16th, first, and second, and the par-3 17th. He badly misjudged a sinkable 9-footer for par on No. 1, as he temporarily lost his putting feel.

On the par-5 fifth, Tiger landed the green in two and hit a quality uphill lag to set up a three-footer for birdie — his smoothest putting stroke in some time. He was back at +3 with four holes to go.

After a quality par on the par-3 sixth, Tiger piped his next drive right onto the fairway, but his approach found the bunker. He drilled a 17-footer to salvage a key par.

Tiger landed another fairway on the par-4 eighth , but left his approach just short and right of the green. He rolled his par putt past the cup and settled for bogey.

In general, the Big Cat's inconsistent with his irons often negated his accuracy off the tee. The three-time U.S. Open champion hit 12 of 14 fairways, but only 9 of 18 “turtleback” greens in regulation, leaving a handful of avoidably long putts.

On the par-3 ninth, after his tee shot rolled off the green, Tiger nimbly finessed his chip near the cup. He culminated his rickety opening round with a par. He finished with six bogeys and two birdies.

“It's not where I wanted to be on a lot of the holes. It just ended up being that far away because I wasn't as sharp as I needed to be.”

Tiger hit the clubhouse tied for 51st, though a bulk of the field had plenty of golf left to play. The top 60 (plus ties) at the end of the second round will qualify for the final two rounds of the third major of the year.

Tiger's gait was more or less sturdy, though the 48-year-old could been seen favoring or shaking out his right leg a little bit more on his second nine. Pinehurst No. 2 is relatively flat, but its native sandiness and overall length present a misleadingly taxing walk.

“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,” he said. “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 124th U.S. Open marks Tiger's fourth official PGA Tour start of 2024. In February, the 15-time major champion withdrew from his host tournament, the Genesis Invitational, due to illness. He made a record 24th straight cut at the Masters, then finished last. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Tiger finished in the top five in each of his two prior U.S. Open starts at Pinehurst No. 2 (1999, 2005). Tiger is tied with Sam Snead for most PGA Tour victories of all-time (82).