The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WOODS TAKES BRIEF LEAD, SHOOTS 68
Hoffman sets pace, with Spieth 3 back; Woods trails by 5.
One of the biggest cheers at the Hero World Challenge came from seeing the name Tiger Woods moved to the top of the leaderboard. It just wasn’t there for long. In another impressive showing in his comeback from back surgeries, Woods built on a solid start with a 31 on the front nine at Albany Golf Club that briefly gave him the lead Friday in Nassau, Bahamas. He stalled on the back nine with a pair of bogeys and not enough birdie chances, and he settled for a 4-under 68.
“Successful,” Woods said, when asked to describe his round in one word.
When the second round ended, Woods was five shots behind Charley Hoffman, who had a 63.
Hoffman made 12 birdies, closing with five in a row. He was at 12-under 132 and had a three-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (67) and Tommy Fleetwood (69). Hoffman made only one par over his final 12 holes to go along with eight birdies and three bogeys.
But in this holiday exhibition with an 18-man field and no cut, it’s all about Woods.
Hoffman spoke to no more than five reporters about his round, while a dozen others were about 30 feet away surrounding Joe LaCava, Woods’ caddie, looking for any additional update.
Woods delivered plenty on his own. He opened with three birdies in four holes. He made three good pars, one of them having to chip up the slope from a thin lie on No. 8, and then really raised hopes with his eagle on the par-5 ninth for the lead, set up by a 3-wood into the wind from 265 yards.
Woods didn’t make a bogey until a three-putt from 30 feet on the 12th hole. He had an eagle attempt from just short of the 15th green, about 45 feet away, that he ran 15 feet by the hole. He missed that for a three-putt par.
“I felt like today I could have easily gotten to double digits under par,” he said. “That would have put me probably one or two back, but I think I’m still in it.”
European Tour: Marc Leishman took advantage of an early start to shoot a 7-under 65 and move into a share of the second-round lead at the Australian PGA Championship in Gold Coast. Leishman is at 12-under 132 and tied with Adam Bland, who shot 66. Masters champion Sergio Garcia was six strokes behind after a 71, while Adam Scott missed the cut by two shots after shooting 74.
Etc.: Spanish star Jon Rahm has a new agent in a move that means Phil Mickelson will keep his brother as caddie. Lagardere Sports said Tim Mickelson, Rahm’s coach at Arizona State until leaving to become his agent at Lagardere, will be on the bag for his brother full-time. Rahm will be represented by Steve Loy, president of golf at Lagardere.