Birdie blitz helps keep McIlroy in touch as Woods sets the pace
TIGER WOODS eagled the last to grab a share of the lead as Rory McIlroy remained in touch despite failing to build on a lightning start to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Seeking his first win for five years, Woods (42) unleashed his trademark fist-pump as he made 28-footer for a five-under 65 to join Rickie Fowler at the top, one clear of Gary Woodland and world number one Justin Rose.
With FedExCup leader Bryson DeChambeau tied for 21st despite playing the back nine in 32 for a oneover 71, Rose’s share of third sees him projected to deny the American the
$10 million FedExCup bonus. Birdies from 25 feet at the fifth and
15 feet at the sixth, turned Woods’ day around and he went on to follow birdies at the 12th and 14th with a huge fist pump as a slick 28-footer dropped for eagle at the 18th
“I made two good putts there at five and six and then basically turned the whole round around,” said the
14-time Major winner, who threeputted for an opening bogey. “I know how to play this golf course and know the angles, but I’ve never seen the greens this quick.”
McIlroy raced out of the blocks, rolling in birdies at the second, third, fourth and sixth to lead on fourunder-par. But while he bogeyed the eighth and followed a birdie at the
10th with a three-putt double bogey at the 12th he never stopped trying.
After following a brilliant birdie at the 14th with another bogey at the
17th, he got up and down from sand at the 18th, he was still upbeat after a three-under 67 left him tied for fifth with Tony Finau and Justin Thomas.
“I drove the ball great and put the ball in play, which you need to this week with this Bermuda rough,” said McIlroy. “And I hit a lot of good iron shots and wedges, which is the stuff I’ve been working on with my coach Michael Bannon.
“I feel like 67 is the worst I could have shot today, which obviously bodes well for the rest of the week.”
It was also a good day for Shane Lowry, who scorched to a sevenunder 64 to lie just a shot off the lead in the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura.
The Offaly man has a new caddie this week in Irishman Brian “Bo” Martin, and both are looking for more success at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, where Lowry won in 2012 and Martin had wins with Alex Levy in 2014 and Lucas Bjerregaard last year.
“Yeah, Bo’s won twice around here, and he’s just started caddying for me this week,” Lowry said with a chuckle. “That’s our first day on the job, so I suppose there’s only one way to go from here, that’s the only thing!”
He is tied for second with England’s Eddie Pepperell and Matt Wallace, just one stroke behind Australian Lucas Herbert.
“Obviously I’m very happy, 64 any day is very good, but I’ve had four weeks off, so it was nice to come back and shoot a good score,” Lowry said. “Looking forward to tomorrow now.”
Ryder Cup wildcard Sergio Garcia shot an encouraging 66 and Paul Dunne showed signs of a return to form with a three-under 68.
But Padraig Harrington paid for ever error and shot a two-over 73 as Tramore’s Robin Dawson (22) failed to build on a fast start on the back nine and shot 74 on his professional debut after dropping four shots in his last five holes.
At the Challenge Tour’s Hopps Open de Provence, Mount Juliet’s Gavin Moynihan shot a two-under 70 to trail Denmark’s Joachim B. Hansen by five shots in a tie for 26th as Jonny Caldwell and Ruaidhri McGee posted four over 76s, Cormac Sharvin a 77 and Michael Hoey a seven-over 79. Portugal Masters Sky Sports 11.30am Tour Championship Sky Sports, 6.30pm