Tiger Woods shoots 70, well back of leader Jon Rahm (62) at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO -- For all the discussion about Tiger Woods' resurgence in the last year, he began his opening round in 2019 on Thursday having played very little competitive golf over the past four months since winning his 80th PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship.

So "getting into the flow of the round quickly" was an issue that Woods predicted would be key to his first round at the Farmers Insurance Open.

On a picture-perfect day beside the Pacific Ocean that produced an abundance of low scores, Woods had his moments but also his struggles, shooting a 2-under-par 70 on Torrey Pines' South Course to finish eight strokes back of leader Jon Rahm, who shot 62 on the North Course.

Woods needed six holes to make his first birdie of the year and made five in his round against three bogeys and struggled with tee shots down the stretch but birdies the 18th hole.

He told Golf Channel after his round that he could have shot 67 or 68 "pretty easily."

Woods, who has seven victories in this tournament, the last coming in 2013, tees off Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET on the North Course. Those who make the 36-hole cut play the South Course during the weekend.