Tough but fair
Tiger plays well despite challenging conditions
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Tiger Woods had what he called “easily” his best round hitting the ball in his latest comeback, and he didn’t even break par at the Honda Classic.
Alex Noren and Webb Simpson shared the lead at 4-under-par 66 after the first day at PGA National, and after playing in steady wind on a punishing Champion Course, they believed they had worked hard for it. Each dropped only one shot Thursday, which might have been as great an accomplishment as any of their birdies.
“When you stand on certain tee boxes or certain approach shots, you remember that, man, this is one of the hardest courses we play all year, including majors,” said Simpson, who is playing the event for the first time in seven years.
A stroke behind the co-leaders, five golfers were tied for second: Daniel Berger, Mackenzie Hughes, Morgan Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen and Justin Thomas. Only 20 players broke par, and just as many were at 76 or worse.
Woods had only one big blunder — a double bogey on the par-5 third hole when he missed the green and then a three-foot putt — in an otherwise stress-free round. He had one other bogey against three birdies and was rarely out of position. Even on one of his two wild drives, the one in which his ball landed behind two carts selling frozen lemonade and soft pretzels, he still had a good angle to the green.
In his third PGA Tour event since returning from a fourth back surgery, the 14-time major winner with more than 100 career victories showed progress.
“It was very positive today,” Woods said. “It was a tough day out there for all of us, and even par is a good score.”
It was plenty tough for Adam Scott, who again stumbled his way through the closing stretch of holes that feature water, water and more water. Scott went into the water on the par-3 15th and made double bogey, then hit into the water on the par-3 17th and made triple bogey. He shot 73.
Rory McIlroy was at par deep into the back nine when he figured his only other chance at birdie would be the par-5 18th. Once he got there, he figured his best chance was to hit a 3-wood and try to land on or near the green. Instead, he came up a yard short and into the water, made double bogey and shot 72.
Woods made double bogey on the par-5 No. 3, considered the easiest hole on the course, but followed with a birdie. He had two other birdies and one bogey in the round.
“I’m trying to get better, more efficient at what I’m doing,” Woods said. “And also I’m actually doing it under the gun, under the pressure of having to hit golf shots, and this golf course is not forgiving whatsoever. I was very happy with the way I hit it today.”
Woods played with Patton Kizzire, who has won twice on the PGA Tour this season. Kizzire had never met Woods until Thursday, and he yanked his opening tee shot into a palmetto bush. No one could find it, so he had to return to the tee to play his third shot. Kizzire covered the 505 yards in three shots, an outstanding bogey considering the two-shot penalty.
Later, he laughed about the moment. “I was so nervous,” Kizzire said. “I said to Tiger, ‘Why did you have to make me so nervous?’”
Baylor School graduate Harris English, Luke List and Keith Mitchell were among those tied for 36th at 1 over. Chattanooga’s Stephan Jaeger, who played at both Baylor and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, struggled to a 79. He has missed the cut in three of his past four tournaments.
Four tied for first at LPGA event
CHONBURI, Thailand — Three-time LPGA Tour winner Minjee Lee finished with a superb eagle putt and was among the four co-leaders after the first round of the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Lee sank a 45-footer on the 18th hole at Siam Country Club for a 6-under 66. Moriya Jutanugarn, Jessica Korda and Lexi Thompson — the tournament’s winner by six shots in 2016 — were also in first.
Thompson opened with an eagle followed by a birdie only to bogey the third hole. She carded four more birdies.
Korda’s roller coaster of a round included eagles on the first and 17th holes, five birdies, a double bogey on the sixth, and two bogeys. Moriya was the only player among the co-leaders without a bogey.
One stroke back were In Gee Chun, Brooke Henderson, Megan Khang, Brittany Lincicome, Sung Hyun Park and Amy Yang
Trio on top at Qatar Masters
DOHA, Qatar — Gregory Havret, Eddie Pepperell and Aaron Rai made the most of calm conditions in the early morning at Doha Golf Club to set the pace in the opening round of the Qatar Masters.
Each shot a 7-under 65. Havret had no bogeys, Pepperell made one but had eight birdies, and Rai eagled his last hole to add to five birdies.
One shot behind the leaders in the European Tour event were Oliver Fisher, Edoardo Molinari, Alvaro Quiros and Marcel Schneider.