Noren, Simpson share lead in tough conditions

Tiger Woods had what he called “easily” his best round hitting the ball, and he didn’t even break par at the Honda Classic.

Alex Noren and Webb Simpson shared the lead at 4-under 66 in steady wind on a penal PGA National golf course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and felt as though they had to work hard for it. Both 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 Honda Classic for the first time in seven years.

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 missed a short putt.

PGA champion Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger and Morgan Hoffmann — who all live up the road in Jupiter — opened with a 67. There’s not much of an advantage because hardly anyone plays PGA National the other 51 weeks of the year. It’s a resort that gets plenty of traffic, and conditions aren’t quite the same.

Woods, in his third tour event since returning from a fourth back surgery, appears to be making progress.

“One bad hole,” he said. “That’s the way it goes.”

European Tour: Eddie Pepperell, Gregory Havret, and Aaron Rai made the most of calm early morning conditions at Doha Golf Club to set the pace in the opening round of the Qatar Masters at 7-under-par 65. Havret went bogey free, Pepperell made one bogey and eight birdies, while fellow English golfer Rai eagled his last hole to add to five birdies.

LPGA Tour: Three-time tour winner Minjee Lee of Australia finished with a superb eagle putt to be among the four leaders after the first round of the LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club. Lee sank a 45-foot putt on the 18th hole to card a 6-under-par 66 for a shot lead along with 2016 champion Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda and local hope Moriya Jutanugarn.