U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 12, 2008

Tiger Woods

Q. You said you really weren't going to know until you got in a competitive round. What did you find out today?

TIGER WOODS: Oh, I can walk 18 holes. I guess I don't need a cart yet. But hey you couldn't ask for a worse start than I got off to. 6 on the very first hole out of the gate. And I figured if you're going to make bogeys out here I just happened to make two on the very first hole.

So, just be patient, long way to go and see if I can get this thing to even par or under par for the day. And I got to under par and had a chance to finish even par for the day and three whacked the last hole.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: Getting into the flow of the round it helps when you hit six shots on the first hole to get into the flow.

(Laughter.)

That's a lot of shots to get into a flow. So, yeah. It's just a terrible way to start. It's one thing to hit the ball left off the first tee, that's fine, pitch out. But the wedge shot, I had all the room short of the hole and I fly it past the hole. That's just a terrible mistake.

Q. How would you describe -- you've been in every kind of pairing there is, how would you describe today?

TIGER WOODS: It was pretty loud at times. Overall it wasn't as bad as I thought. I think that there have been more people before, but I haven't seen this many people inside the ropes before. We estimated just over a hundred. I'm sure that's probably what it was.

Q. On 18 you grimaced on the drive, but yet it was a very good drive. Did you tweak a little something there? It seemed like it was the first evidence of any anything with the knee.

TIGER WOODS: Didn't feel very good, no. But I hit a 7-iron in there and hit it left and 3-putted.

Q. Feeling anything now with it?

TIGER WOODS: Um-hum.

Q. Was the knee bothering you at all during the round? Can you talk about that?

TIGER WOODS: It's a little sore.

Q. How different is it than before the surgery, say going into Augusta?

TIGER WOODS: No, two, two totally different pains. Augusta was a lot different than this one.

Q. Have you felt any pain like that in your preparation?

TIGER WOODS: Yes.

Q. So you kind of knew what to expect coming in?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah.

Q. How what was the difference between Augusta and now?

TIGER WOODS: The cartilage was in there flying around and they took that out. So that relieves it.

Q. How would you assess where you are?

TIGER WOODS: As of right now what, I'm four back? To make two double bogeys and a 3-putt and only be four back, that's a great position to be in. Because I know I can clean that up tomorrow.

I hit the ball pretty good all day, had a couple misses left, but just need to clean up the round just a little bit. Just those two 6s there, I didn't take care of both par-5s on the back nine. I had one that had a 7-iron to 18 and a 6-iron to the other one and I played those holes even par.

Q. You haven't had a double bogey this year, I mean you hadn't played that many tournaments --

TIGER WOODS: I played two tournaments or whatever? No.

Q. You haven't had a double. What are you telling yourself walking to 2?

TIGER WOODS: As I said, it's just plenty of holes to go. We're all going to make mistakes out here. You're going to make probably, you're going to make more than two bogeys in 72 holes out here. As I said, I just happened to make two of them on the very first hole. So I just got to clean it up, get it going, and get to even par as fast as I could and then from there let's try and get to under par for the day and I did that. I got to under par at the turn and just didn't keep it there.

Q. The second shot at number 4, just describe that and then also the fist pump I think it was 15 you had a big putt?

TIGER WOODS: 4, I just hit a 5-iron out there, I was just trying to play short of the green if it bounces up great, if it doesn't it's an easy pitch. Came out great and it flew further than I thought it would. And I got up there next to the hole and it was just a little tap in which was nice.

15 was a nice putt to make because I had a pretty easy second shot in there. Just had a wedge. And trying to protect from flying. And I hit it too easy, wind caught it, put it in the bunker, hit a terrible bunker shot it was nice to get away with a par there.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: Well, it's a strong 3-wood. It's probably closer to 11 degrees, so it's kind of like the old brassie, you know. So even though it's not a driver, it is a very strong 3- wood.

Q. Any soreness in the knee? Did that affect how you were playing, did you have to hold back?

TIGER WOODS: I just go play. Just go play.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: I just didn't hit it hard enough. I was trying to throw the ball up in the air, it was 201 front and down off the right and I was just trying to throw the ball up in the air and I kind of upshot it just a little.

If I would have rode the wind the way I was supposed to it would have been probably just past pin high. But it landed short and I bladed the pitch from there.

Q. You said on Tuesday that you were concerned about getting back into the competitive flow and you referenced that again. Are you in that flow now have you found that zone?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, yeah. As I said, it took me six shots on the first hole, so I had plenty of warm-up shots.

Q. Was there something you could do today that you couldn't have done before you had it fixed? That would show you that it was working?

TIGER WOODS: I just had to just go play. The pain is a little bit different. All in all just go tee it up and go. And I'm right there, I'm only four back. I'm in good shape.

Q. What was the number in from the bunker on 4?

TIGER WOODS: On 4 I had 209, hole.

Q. What was your biggest save today? What was your best save?

TIGER WOODS: I would have to say the putt at 13. It was, with a par-5 coming up, it was nice to not drop to -- it was nice to not drop a shot there, go into a par-5 which, if I drive the ball in the fairway, I should be able to get the ball on to and make a birdie, which didn't happen.

But it was nice to make that putt and keep some momentum going in the back nine and unfortunately kind of messed that up from there.

Q. Are you having to take anything for pain? Any anti- inflammatories?

TIGER WOODS: Oh, yeah.

Q. Will you do any ice rehab, whirlpool afterwards?

TIGER WOODS: Um-hum.

Q. Is there anything else you can think of?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, pretty much that's it.