2 eagles give Peterson lead

John Peterson started his rookie season on the PGA Tour about the time Tiger Woods started to experience back problems. One of them is closer to walking away than the other.

Peterson, the 29-year-old free spirit who has pledged to retire from golf if he doesn’t earn enough money to keep his card in three events, made back-to-back eagles late in the opening round Thursday for a 6-under-par 65 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte. N.C.

Woods had an unspectacular 71 in his return to Quail Hollow after a six-year absence.

That was before Peterson came to life late in his round. He holed a bunker shot from under 60 feet away on the par-5 seventh hole. Then he holed a 56-degree wedge from 107 yards in the fairway for eagle on the next hole. It almost got even better. From the trees left of the ninth fairway, his approach cleared the bunker and was headed for the flag as the crowd began to cheer in anticipation.

All was well. Peterson had never led after any round in 89

starts on the PGA Tour until Thursday.

“I’m kind of free-wheeling it at this point,” he said. “I know a little bit has been said about me retiring if I don’t make the necessary money for my medical starts, and all that’s true. If I don’t make it, I’m not playing golf anymore.”

He made clear on more than one occasion he wants to win the Wells Fargo Championship, or the two tournaments he has left. Because of surgery on his left hand two years ago, Peterson started the year needing to make $375,165 in eight tournaments to keep his card. Five events later, he needs $318,096 and has this week, and then the FedEx St. Jude Classic and Travelers Championship.

LPGA: The first round of the North Texas Classic was called off because of heavy morning rain. Only 34 of the 144 golfers completed at least one hole, and Thursday’s scores will be thrown out. Friday’s forecast calls for more rain.