Tiger Woods gets through full 18 holes at St. Andrews ahead of The Open

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – After walking the Old Course on Saturday night with just his wedges and putter, Tiger Woods played a full 18-hole practice round Sunday in preparation for the 150th Open.

Playing alongside one of his usual practice-round partners, Justin Thomas, Woods spent five hours in the sun during his first full practice round at a PGA TOUR event this year. Thomas also accompanied Woods on his Saturday evening walk around the Old Course.

Woods won two of his three Open Championships at St. Andrews, producing an eight-shot win in 2000 as part of the Tiger Slam and winning again five years later by five strokes. St. Andrews also is where Woods completed the career Grand Slam at age 24.

He is scheduled to compete in Monday’s Celebration of Champions alongside Rory McIlroy, Lee Trevino and former Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall. The group is scheduled to tee off in the exhibition’s final tee time, at 5:05 p.m. local time. Woods also is scheduled for a press conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The 82-time TOUR winner looked uncomfortable at times during Sunday’s round. This is his first official tournament since withdrawing from the PGA Championship after a third-round 79. He skipped the U.S. Open to ensure he could play at this historic Open at the Home of Golf.

“I had some issues with my leg, and it would have put this tournament in jeopardy, and so there’s no reason to do that,” Woods told reporters earlier this week during the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor GC in Ireland.

St. Andrews is a flatter walk but still brings unique bumps and humps throughout, not to mention some tough bunker lies.

“This is a pretty historic Open that we are going to be playing. I’m lucky enough to be part of the past champions that have won there, and want to play there again, and I don’t know when they are ever going to go back while I’m still able to play at a high level. I want to be able to give it at least one more run at a high level,” he added in Ireland.

Woods is +4000 with BetMGM Sportsbook to claim a fourth Open Championship and 16th major championship, with one bettor already placing a $4,500 wager to win $180,000.

"If you asked me last year whether I would play golf again, all of my surgeons would have said no. But here I am playing two major championships this year,” Woods said Tuesday. “I will always be able to play golf, whether it's this leg or someone else's leg or false leg or different body pieces that have been placed or fused. I'll always be able to play.”

Sunday’s round saw Woods produce some imaginative and stellar short game shots, showing off his vast experience around the links gem. Thomas had his eyes wide open. Having struggled in tough winds on the way to missing the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open this week, Thomas was using the weekend to his advantage.

“(I’ve been picking Tiger’s brain) a little bit. I understand he is going to be a little withholding of some information but I’m trying to needle him and get as much out of him as I can. He’s done pretty well around this place,” said Thomas, whose first round as a pro came at the Old Course during the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. “I’ve never had probably a more productive missed cut than the Scottish Open because it’s been nice to come out here and prep the last two days.”

Thomas wouldn’t be drawn into Woods’ health or swing specifics but did say he wouldn’t be surprised if Woods was in contention come next Sunday afternoon.

“No, (Tiger in contention wouldn’t surprise me) absolutely not,” Thomas said. “I’ve learned not to challenge anything Tiger can or can’t do.”