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Tiger Woods 1-over before postponement

BY JIM BAUMBACH | jim.baumbach@newsday.com

4:09 PM EDT, June 18, 2009

Tiger Woods hits from the fairway on the first hole at the U.S. Open during the first round at Bethpage Black. (Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr. / June 18, 2009)

Tiger Woods' day began with an unexpected trip to a merchandise tent, and while he was there he probably should have bought one of those overpriced U.S. Open ponchos.

Playing in rainy conditions that seemed to affect his game - and probably everyone else's, for that matter - Woods was 1-over through six holes when play was suspended at 10:16 a.m. at the U.S. Open on Thursday. First-round action was postponed and Woods' round will continue on Friday.

"It was pretty wet and windy," Woods said in a statement through the USGA. "It was a slow day. We had to get in a many holes as we possibly could, and we played more holes than we thought. I knew it was going to be a tough day and it was. It was a good decision to start today. Playing was the right decision."

On the first tee, Woods slammed his driver shot over the rough and to the left of the fairway. It landed among fans right in front of a merchandise tent that separates the first and 18th holes. Then Woods' second shot found the bunker to the right of the hole, but Woods hit a fine sand shot to within six feet of the hole and putted to save par.

>>Photos from Tiger Woods' round so far

Woods parred the next three holes, just missing birdie putts on the second and fourth holes. It was clear he had problems with the rain. He couldn't decide whether to swing with his short-sleeved rain jacket on or off, alternating several times.

Woods, who won the 2002 U.S. Open here at Bethpage Black, struggled on the par-4 fifth hole. His drive caromed off a tree to the right of the fairway, bouncing backwards several yards. He was forced to pitch out onto the fairway, but then his approach shot found the bunker short left of the green. Eventually, Woods two-putted for double bogey.

But Tiger being Tiger, he quickly rebounded on the sixth hole, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt for a birdie to go back to 1-over par. Woods even let loose a fist pump, bringing back memories to his strong play from seven years ago on this course.

The rain became heavy on the next hole, so much so that Woods backed off his second shot several times because the rain was hitting him right in the face. After the horn sounded, Woods hit his approach shot onto the green on the par-4, 489-yard seventh hole but decided the green was too wet to continue.

>>Photos from Tiger Woods' round so far

>>Click here for the latest U.S. Open at Bethpage Black photos

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>>Breakdown of each hole at Bethpage Black

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