PGA: Stenson leads at Palmer Invitational, Tiger lurking four shots back

Tiger Woods had his best opening round since he returned this year from back surgery.

ORLANDO, FLA.— Henrik Stenson had a hot putter, a much quieter crowd and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

One week after Stenson returned from his winter break and spent two days with Tiger Woods and his raucous crowds, he made birdie on half of the holes at Bay Hill for an 8-under 64, his lowest round ever on the course the King built.

PGA Tour rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch each had 65. Wise missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Woods again brought out big crowds in the unseasonable chill Thursday morning and gave them quite a show. He hit a tee shot that was out-of-bounds by inches. He atoned for that with a 70-foot birdie putt. And he wound up with a 68, his best opening round since he returned this year from a fourth back surgery.

“I feel like I’m not really thinking as much around the golf course,” Woods said. “I can just see and feel it and go.”

Each week is a little better for Woods, and Stenson saw the progress last week.

The 41-year-old Swede typically takes a month off between the Middle East swing and the Florida swing, and he returned last week to a grouping of Woods and Jordan Spieth. That didn’t bother him as much as his poor putting.

Bay Hill provided a change in both areas.

“It’s great to see him back competing, but it was a little loud out there last week,” Stenson said.

“But that comes with the excitement of having him back and seeing him play well, so I thought it was great ... I guess it’s nice to get a little bit of a breather at times, though.”

It really helps to be putting well, especially on pure greens at Bay Hill that already had a yellow hue to them.

He spent the weekend at home in Orlando working with Phil Kenyon, his putting coach, and it seemed to help.

Stenson took only 20 putts, tying his personal best for fewest putts in a round on the PGA Tour.

There were 13 more rounds in the 60s in the afternoon, including Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy at 69.