Tiger opens strong at Bay Hill in key Masters tuneup

MIAMI: Tiger Woods’ rolled in six birdies, including a 71-footer at the seventh hole, to leap into contention Thursday (Friday in Manila) at the Arnold Palmer Invitational led by Henrik Stenson.

Woods, the 14-time major champion and eight-time winner at Bay Hill, started early and showed the peak “It was just getting a feel for playing tournament golf again and I think I have it,” said Woods, who is in January from spinal fusion surgery last April. “I’m not thinking as much around the golf course. I can just see it, feel it and go. That’s because I’ve got my ‘feels’ back.” Three weeks before the start of the Masters, the year’s back pain that sidelined him most of the past two seasons. He has undergone four back operations, doubting at one stage if he would ever return to competitive golf.

“I enjoy just playing again. After what I’ve been through, just playing feels good,” Woods said.

Told that Las Vegas oddsmakers were making him the Masters favorite based on his past week’s performance, Woods said, “A lot of gamble-holics out there.”

“We have a long way to go. It’s just the first day. I’ve got threedays togoandhopefullyIcancapitoffwithanicewin.”

Sweden’s Stenson made nine birdies against a lone bogey to open with a 64. were tied for second on 65. winner, holed out from 132 yards for an eagle on the 18th fairway to complete an opening 67 that left him tied with Rickie Fowler and Bryson Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy was set to match Walker and Fowler but closed with a The day’s electricity came from Woods, the 42-year-old superstar who has not won a major Bridgestone Invitational.

Woods, who also won his eighth Bay Hill crown in 2013, birdied all four par-5 holes and played the rest of the round at level par, two birdies undone by one bad tee shot and a double-bogey disaster.

“People have been so supportive. It has been a great atmosphere overall since I’ve come back and started playing again,” Woods said.

‘Lucky it hit the hole’