THE OPEN RELATED STORIES The Open Home Page The Open Scores Round 4: Tiger Woods seals two shot victory Round 4: Emotional Tiger Woods thanks late father Round 4: Players give Hoylake top marks Round 4: Ernie Els continues impressive Open run Round 4: Marius Thorp wins Silver Medal Round 4: Sergio Garcia takes positives from Open Round 4: Chris DiMarco consoled by second place Round 4: Tiger Woods edges ahead of field Round 3: Sergio Garcia in sight of first major title Round 3: Ernie Els happy to still be in the mix Round 3: Putting problems keep Woods back Round 3: Chris DiMarco counts on experience Round 2: Woods and Els set for showdown Round 2: Singh & Monty amongst cut casualties Round 2: Ernie Els relishes being in contention Round 2: David Duval frustrated again Round 2: Phil Mickelson well off the pace Round 2: Poor showing by Ryder Cup hopefuls Round 1: Woods makes move with eagle on 18th Round 1: Clarke to take break to care for wife Round 1: Seve Ballesteros happy with opening 74 Round 1: Ernie Els finds putting touch again Round 1: Garcia amongst early front runners Leading contenders for the British Open Tiger Woods ready for Open defence Geoff Ogilvy enjoying life as a champion Weather set fair at Hoylake Phil Mickelson in confident mood Tiger Woods & Nick Faldo fued simmers Trevor Immelman pulls out of Open Players expecting to score low at Hoylake Ben Curtis has sights on second Open title Montgomerie still optimistic about breaking duck Rest of the World catching the Americans Hoylake ready for a new chapter Europeans seeking a Major turnaround Trevor Immelman celebrates birth of first child Tiger Woods is bookmakers favourite Hot, dry and fast Hoylake awaits players Nick Faldo & Tiger Woods row diffused Hoylake a mystery to the whole field John Daly plays "The Cavern" Retief Goosen not confident heading into Open John Senden joins record number of Australians Woods starts Open defence with Faldo The Open Preview Course Guide: Hoylake - Royal Liverpool 2006 European Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Greg Norman struggles at Troon Ochoa leads with flawless 65 Mike Weir amongst leaders Four share lead in Russia Padraig Harrington hungry for more success Michelle Wie to play on PGA Tour again GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Tiger Woods makes move with eagle on 18th

Holder Tiger Woods transformed his day with the aid of a morning telecast at the first round of the British Open on Thursday.

The American carded a five-under-par 67 to lie just a stroke behind Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell.

But Woods had struggled occasionally during the afternoon, typified by a slip on the long 10th where he found trouble in a steep bunker.

But he was on the green in two on the par-five finishing hole and ran in a 20ft eagle putt to suddenly sit on the leader's shoulder -- all down to watching morning television.

Woods explained: "Someone made that putt earlier this morning. I was watching it on the telecast.

"It doesn't break at the end, it holds its line. I played it on the right edge; it held its line all the way.

"I would have given that hole away if I hadn't seen that putt earlier in the morning."

With a bogey at the first and an unusual error on the 10th, where he tried to extricate his ball from under the steep bunker face but saw it fall back in, Woods's defence was looking distinctly ordinary.

But he managed to save par at 10 and another on 14 lifted his spirits as much as his grandstand finale.

The world number one said: "The 14th saved the day -- making an up and down there, because I had, potentially, three birdie holes then - 15, 16 and 18. I didn't want to drop there and go back to one-under-par.

"It was nice to hit that save there, about six feet, and keep the momentum going. I finished off the round really well."

After missing the cut in his last major, the U.S. Open, Woods, who was recently second in the Western Open, reported his confidence was where he wanted it.

"Shooting 67 makes me feel good," he said.