HOYLAKE, ENGLAND - No one knows whether backing off his approach shot twice at the par-five 18th hole Thursday cost Tiger Woods a stroke.
But he looked as though he might have one, when camera shutters went off in his backswing - he stopped, reset himself and put his next shot in a bunker, then couldn't get up-and-down for birdie.
He swore at the photographers, but wasn't sure whether the culprits were professionals or amateurs using smartphones. Asked about his choice of words, Woods said it was 'because people were taking pictures. Like we had all day today. And there was a lot of cameras out there. We were backing off a lot of shots and a lot of people moving around. It was tough.
'It was just ... unfortunately people just don't put their phones on silent or some of the professionals guys were getting on the trigger a little early.'
THEYA CULPA: The R&A, which has promoted smartphones and tablets as part of a new spectator experience, issued a statement, ostensibly a reaction to Woods's complaints.
It urged spectators to keep phones on silent and reminded them that taking photos on championship days is not allowed. It also reiterated all the ways the Open was attempting to police the use of handheld devices among the fans.
Good luck with that.
ON THE OTHER HAND: Whatever his peeves, Woods was enormously pleased with his round of 69, coming off back surgery. Especially when he began with bogeys on the first two holes.
'Well, I knew I could do it,' he said. 'That's why I was telling you guys it was so important for me to play at Congressional [two weeks ago; he missed the cut]. The fact that I was able to recover every day, and that I was stronger, more explosive the more days I played. I'm only going to get better from that point. The ball is starting to travel again. And those are all positive things.'
IT WAS ASKING FOR IT: Henrik Stenson was in the rough three times on the 17th hole and somehow salvaged a bogey five, but not before taking his wedge across his knee and snapping it in two, calmly handing the pieces to his caddie.
'I've lost count of how many drivers, fairway woods and wedges I've murdered,' Stenson said, in a story in Golf Digest.
Sometimes, they have it coming.
ITALIAN STALLIONS: Besides 21-year-old Matteo Manassero, who trails Rory McIlroy by a shot, brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari are right in the hunt, a further stroke back after shooting 68s.
'It's fantastic. I knew they were playing solid golf,' said Manassero. 'Just I saw in the practice round Edoardo was playing really, really solid. And Francesco, I'm always sure that Francesco is going to do something well on this kind of golf courses especially, even more. So very good for Italian golf. We got off to a fast start, all of us. And when you've got three, you don't have only one, there is more chances they're going to stay up until Sunday. And it's going to be wonderful to have a few Italians up there on Sunday afternoon. It's going to be fun, if there is.'
STILL TICKING: Erik Compton, the 34-year-old double heart transplant recipient, shot 71 and said he is delighted to be talking about golf these days.
'Well, I'm just a golfer right now. It's not like I'm out here trying to do both jobs. I'm trying to perform as a golfer and then I have the story behind it,' he said. 'I get a lot of help from the media and I feel like sometimes the media loves me more than the actual fans because if I was a fan, I'd probably be out watching Tiger or Rickie or other players. I'm just a regular guy that has been through some serious stuff and earned a spot to play this year in this tournament. I'm trying to make as much noise as I can.'
He had only ever played links golf once before at the 1999 British Amateur at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.
'This is a little different today. This wasn't very linksy golf. You could hit the ball high and soft.'
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