Tiger Woods, awaiting his 1st major of the year, arrives at Royal Liverpool for British Open

Tiger Woods of the US gestures as he stands on the 2nd green during a practice round at Royal Liverpool Golf Club prior to the start of the British Open Golf Championship, in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 12, 2014. The 2014 Open Championship starts on Thursday July 17. (AP Photo/Jon Super) (The Associated Press)

Tiger Woods of the US, left, smiles as he walks with Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A, on the 1st fairway during a practice round at Royal Liverpool Golf Club prior to the start of the British Open Golf Championship, in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 12, 2014. The 2014 Open Championship starts on Thursday July 17. (AP Photo/Jon Super) (The Associated Press)

HOYLAKE, England – Tiger Woods has returned to Royal Liverpool for the first time since he won his third British Open title in 2006.

The 14-time major champion arrived Saturday morning at the course on the northwest coast of England for his first major of the year.

Woods had back surgery March 31 to relieve a nerve impingement, which caused him to miss the Masters for the first time and then the U.S. Open. He returned earlier than he expected three weeks ago at Congressional, where he missed the cut by four shots. Woods has gone nearly a year without winning.

Woods did not have the course to himself Saturday. According to photos posted on Twitter by Royal Liverpool, Adam Scott and Jason Day also were practicing.