Woods places focus on silencing mobile phones

It was not exactly the same as 2006, but it was not far off as 
Tiger Woods returned to major championship action in the Open at Royal Liverpool.
USA's Tiger Woods.USA's Tiger Woods.
USA's Tiger Woods.

Eight years ago Woods started the defence of his title with a 67 and went on to lift the Claret Jug for the third time, despite the distractions from spectators’ cameras which led to a ban the following year.

In 2014 he has started with a 69 and was again moved to complain about the photography of amateurs and professionals alike, most notably being forced to stop midway through his downswing on his second shot to the 18th.

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“There were a lot of cameras and we were backing off a lot of shots, it was tough,” Woods said.

“Unfortunately people don’t put the phones on silent and some of the professional guys were getting on the trigger a little early.”

Mobile phones and other devices were allowed back into the Open in 2012 and the R&A have installed a “Wi-Fi mesh” around the course to allow spectators to use them to keep up to date with the action.

Asked if catering to spectators in this manner was something of a double-edged sword, Woods added: “Just put it on silent. I’ve had numerous years of dealing with this. There’s a lot of moving parts out there. And you’ve just got to stay focused and plod your way around.”

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In a statement, R&A executive director of championships Johnnie Cole-Hamilton said: “We are delighted to have big crowds here enjoying the golf and I know there are many fans here who are experiencing the Open for the first time this week.

“We urge them and all our spectators to keep their phones on silent and remind them that taking photographs on Championship days is not permitted.”

Woods dropped a shot on the first then three-putted the second from long range and had to hole from eight feet on the fourth to avoid another bogey, before getting back on track with a birdie on the par-five fifth.

The 38-year-old then carded a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th and recovered from a bogey on the 14th with birdies on the 15th and 16th, the latter hole seeing him hit driver for the only time all day – just as he did in the first round in 2006 for the only time in 72 holes.

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