Woods was tops in greens in regulation to key his runaway win. In the winter, the course is wet and plays long. The fairways are wider, the greens softer. In essence, it is substantially easier, especially considering the fact that amateurs play in the tournament. For the Open, the course is dry and plays fast.
Fairways are narrow, greens are rock hard.
It is not an easy test, as evidenced by every score in the field other than Woods' winning number. But it is interesting to note that Woods' winning score of 272 was actually one stroke better than his 273 in February, when he made up a seven-shot deficit in the final seven holes to win his sixth straight PGA Tour event. Take away Woods' winning total, and the next best score was 3-over 287, shot by Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez. An over par score has not won the U.S. Open since Andy North's triumph at Cherry Hills in 1978. That tells you how difficult Pebble Beach was playing.