There was a time in the not-so distant past when Tiger Woods doubted he would feature in the Open Championship again. This week at Carnoustie marks Woods’s first appearance in the third major of the year since 2015. It was no wonder, then, that a chipper Woods stepped from the 18th green after eight Sunday practice holes.

“It has been a while and I’ve missed it,” Woods said of pursuing the Claret Jug. “This is the oldest tournament we have in our sport. I have my name on the trophy a few times so that’s pretty cool. To come out here and play in the Open Championship is always good.

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“And then coming here to Carnoustie, it is special. This is my fourth time playing it as a tournament. From my first time coming here as an amateur to being back now, it’s just amazing how this course doesn’t change. It is right in front of you, it is hard; it’s probably the most difficult one we play in the whole rotation.”

This, the 147th Open, will provide a rare test. A freakishly dry Scottish summer has left the Carnoustie fairways scorched. If the visuals are stunning, devil lies in the golfing detail. Woods, for example, hit a seven-iron from the tee of the 415-yard 4th on Sunday afternoon. Padraig Harrington found water at the 18th on Saturday from an estimated distance of 457 yards.

“Right now the fairways are faster than the greens,” Woods said. “I am sure they will probably speed the greens up a touch but I’m sure this will be one of those weeks where the fairways are a little quicker than the greens. It is mainly about trajectory. You can get the same numbers with different trajectories. That’s what is going to be important, how hot you want the ball coming into the fairways. You can really make the ball roll 60, 70, 80 yards; is it really worth it or not? Some of the holes; can you carry bunkers? It is a risk reward golf course and the way it is set up right now, it is going to play very narrow because it is so fast.”

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This marks Woods’s 20th Open. With that in mind, he denied recent absence as caused by injury means a requirement to “re-learn” links golf. He can also draw on famous victories, having prevailed 18 and 12 years ago when it was burnt underfoot.

“I have played in so many Opens but also so many links courses in my career. We don’t get a chance to see it quite this firm very often, it was like this in 2000 and like this at Hoylake but we don’t really see the fairways this quick. It’s different this week and will be a lot of fun.

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“I have only played eight holes so I have a lot of work to do over the next few days. Different winds are forecast for the next few days so it will be nice to see those different conditions.

“It’s a feel thing. People don’t realise, especially watching on TV, the difference between landing a ball on the downslope versus into an upslope and how many yards that can mean to a shot. It is just different. We have had all different playing conditions here. We have had it burnt out and dry, we have had it thick and lush. It is what it is. That’s the neat thing about coming to links courses, we play it as it is. It’s not tricked up and it’s right in front of us.”

Woods, who had visited Wimbledon for the first time on Saturday, displayed no physical discomfort at all during a brief range session and subsequent eight hole stretch. His last back surgery, his fourth, has apparently paid off. “My back has been good,” he said. “That’s one of the good things about all the strength training I have been doing, I have gotten to where it feels good every day.”

Reports emerged last week that a match between Woods and his long-time adversary – before peace broke out – Phil Mickelson is in the late planning stages. Las Vegas has been touted as a location, as has the prospect of a $10m prize purse.

“We are still working on it,” said Woods. “It’s not there yet but certainly we are working on it and trying to make it happen. We are friends so we are always trying to make each other uncomfortable and [to] needle each other. We always have a good time doing it too.”

As Woods was beginning the formal element of his Open preparations, Brandon Stone earned a Carnoustie spot in stunning style. The South African produced a closing round of 60 at the Scottish Open to claim his third European Tour title.