BETHESDA, Md. — Tiger Woods feels like he is making up for lost time by missing the U.S. Open last year.

Woods wasn’t at Congressional for the 2011 U.S. Open, so it was difficult for him to compare the opening round Thursday in the AT&T National with the major known as the toughest test in golf that was played at Congressional a year ago, the one that hardly lived up to his reputation.

But he listened to Nick Watney and caddie Chad Reynolds, who confirmed his suspicions.

“They were saying at least during the Open, you could get it to land on the green from the rough,” Woods said. “They had graduated rough. There’s no graduated rough here this week. If it’s not in the fairway, then it’s in the deep stuff. So it’s a different setup. It’s hard and fast, and we have to be careful a lot of times, and when you have an opportunity to be aggressive, better do it.”

Bo Van Pelt did it better than anyone.

He kept bogeys off his card and picked up an extra shot when his wedge spun back into the hole for an eagle. It’s a formula that would work well at a U.S. Open, which is what Congressional felt like Thursday on his way to a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead.

Woods opened with a 72.

“A couple shots today, the ball is bouncing as high as it flies,” Woods said. “It’s an adjustment we have to make.”