( CNN ) -- Tiger Woods is back -- but it was a bit of a struggle after three months on the sidelines . Woods , who had back surgery to repair a pinched nerve in March , carded a three-over-par 74 in Thursday 's opening round of the Quicken Loans National at the Congressional Country Club . Only seven times since turning professional in 1996 has the American golf star opened a PGA Tour event with a worse score . The 38-year-old is attempting to rebuild his game ahead of the third major of the season -- next month 's British Open -- after missing the Masters in April and this month 's U.S. Open . `` I think the hard part was just getting into the rhythm of playing competitively , '' Woods told reporters . `` You play with your buddies all day for cash and stuff but it 's just not the same . It 's not the same as tournament golf , different level . Adrenaline is rushing and I hit the ball further out here than I do at home . `` It unfortunately took a while to get the feel for it . My feels were off . '' The last of Woods ' 14 major titles came at the 2008 U.S. Open , leaving him four behind Jack Nicklaus ' overall record . The former world No . 1 , now ranked fifth , has now missed six major championships through injury -- his absence at Augusta was the first time he 'd not been at the Masters since making his debut there as an amateur in 1995 . However , he said his back felt fine in his first round since the World Golf Championships event in Florida in March . `` I had no issues at all , '' he said . `` No twinges , no nothing . It felt fantastic . '' Woods has won the British Open three times , and the last of those came in 2006 at the host course of this year 's tournament -- Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake , where the action will tee off on July 17 . He bogeyed his first two holes at Congressional and dropped to last place in the field on six over par before three birdies in five holes gave his scorecard a healthier look , though he was eight shots behind first-round leader Greg Chalmers of Australia . `` I made so many little mistakes , '' Woods said . `` So I played a lot better than the score indicated , which is good . '' U.S. Open runner-up Erik Compton was tied for fourth in a group including Patrick Reed -- who won the WGC-Cadillac Championship where Woods last lined up .
After three-month layoff , Tiger Woods returns to action . Woods hits 74 at Quicken Loans National event . Score: 7