Baked-out fairways will keep Tiger's driver in the bag at Carnoustie

Don't expect to see Tiger Woods lashing with the big stick this week at the Open Championship, as baked-out fairways at Carnoustie will keep his driver in the bag the majority of the time.

"There's just not a lot of opportunities to hit the driver because the ball is going to be rolling 80 yards," Woods said during his press availability on Tuesday. "Even hitting 4- and 5-irons that are running 60 yards. It's going to be an interesting test which clubs I will use off the tees."

The extremely firm conditions around the legendary Scottish layout will lead to irons off the tee for many of the top players as they attempt to control their ball as much as possible.

Keeping the driver in the bag might end up being a blessing for Woods. The 42-year-old ranks 115th on Tour in strokes gained: off the tee, a spot that is mostly attributed to the fact he's 176th in driving accuracy, hitting only 54.92 percent of fairways.

Woods popularized the stinger shot off the tee, a low rising strike that penetrates the air and runs once it hits the fairway. It's a perfect shot for any form of links golf, especially this week on such a firm track.

Carnoustie presents the type of challenge that the 14-time major champion loves, and it's one of the reasons why Woods is so fond of The Open.

"I enjoy this type of golf because it is creative," Woods said. "We're not going to get the most perfect bounces. A certain shot that you think is a wonderful shot down the middle of the fairway could bounce some weird way. That's just part of it and that's the fun challenge of it."

Woods tees off with Russell Knox and Hideki Matsuyama at 10:21 a.m. ET on Thursday.