Gullane, Scotland ? Tiger Woods was upset, and not just because he couldn’t beat the other members of his threesome.

A British Open opening round that could have been much better Thursday left him three shots behind David Toms and Duffy Waldorf.

A day that began with Woods angry about loud photographers didn’t get much better as he struggled on the greens of the Muirfield links. Woods finished with a 1-under 70 and the knowledge he would have to putt better to have a chance at golf’s Grand Slam.

With conditions ripe for scoring, Woods tried to make the best out of his round, even though playing partners Justin Rose and Shigeki Maruyama both were two shots better.

“You can only shoot yourself out of the tournament the first day, and I certainly didn’t do that,” Woods said. “I got myself where I needed to be, especially if the weather is the way it’s supposed to be the next two days.”

Woods, who backed off his tee shot at the first hole because a photographer clicked a picture before he hit, ended up deep in the right rough. He then admonished photographers crowding around to get a shot of him hitting out of the knee-deep rough.

“You guys got enough friggin’ pictures already?” he asked. “You did it on the tee and you’re doing it now.”

Woods regained his composure and somehow slashed the ball out of the deep rough into the fairway some 100 yards from the green. From there, he hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the putt for par.

It would be one of the few bright moments for Woods on the greens, where he missed a number of makeable birdie putts within 15 feet and 3-putted for bogey on the fifth hole

Despite hitting three tee shots into the heather, Woods reached 14 greens in regulation, but could not take advantage of his birdie opportunities.

“We’re not used to playing greens this slow,” he said.

Toms and Waldorf were certainly happy after they posted 4-under 67s on a course that played as easy as it will in light winds and mild temperatures.

Also pleased was Phil Mickelson, after rolling in a 20-footer for birdie on the 18th hole for a 68 that put him in contention at yet another major.

In the last three Grand Slam events, Mickelson has finished 2-3-2. Two of those titles were won by Woods, the other by Toms.

Mickelson struggled early and was 1 over before making a birdie on the par-3 seventh hole. He had three birdies on the back nine, though, including back-to-back birdies to finish.

Toms, who won the PGA Championship last year, made five birdies against one bogey to get into a tie with Waldorf, who has won four times on the PGA Tour but never been a factor in a major championship.

The 39-year-old Waldorf is more well known for wearing goofy shirts and hats and playing golf balls decorated with pictures drawn by his children.

“I just kept playing down the fairway, fortunately, and took advantage of the opportunities I got,” Waldorf said.

It was Woods, as usual, who drew the huge crowds as he got off to a shaky start in his bid to maintain his Grand Slam run.

Despite hitting three tee shots into the heather, Woods reached 14 greens in regulation, but could not take advantage of his birdie opportunities.

“It was frustrating in the sense that I was hitting beautiful putts, and they were lipping out,” Woods said. “When you have good speed on the high side generally they fall in.”

On a calm day where the sun occasionally peeked out and scoring conditions were ideal, Muirfield showed it would not be too easy. Players battled their way out of the rough and bunkers, with Sergio Garcia needing two shots to get out of one pot bunker.

Rose, the 21-year-old who cherished a challenge with Woods, was tied at 68 with Maruyama, Nick Price, 1985 winner Sandy Lyle, Thomas Bjorn, Des Smyth of Ireland, and Jean Francois Remesy of France.

It was clear early that this Open would be far different from the U.S. Open that Woods won last month to take his second major of the year.

Instead of the boisterous crowds yelling comments at players, the fans at Muirfield offered only polite applause. When Woods hit his shot out of the heather on the first hole, one fan murmured, “Lovely shot.”

The surprises of the early play were the 44-year-old Lyle and Smyth, a 49-year-old who is playing in his 22nd Open.

Lyle birdied the last three holes, while Smyth left a birdie putt short on the final hole for his chance at the lead.

“I love playing in the Open. I always did,” Smyth said. “Maybe I am not as afraid as I might have been in years gone by.”