Woods shoots par in return to PGA Tour
Former world No. 1 is seven shots back in his first tournament in a year
SAN DIEGO – With play backed up and time to kill, Tiger Woods strolled to the edge of the cliff by the fourth tee of the South Course at Torrey Pines to take in the Pacific Ocean below.
Behind him was the chaos that naturally comes with a hefty gallery in stride with Woods, especially Thursday when he played his first PGA Tour event in a year. But just three holes into the Farmers Insurance Open, the former world No. 1 was as calm as could be and enjoyed a few peaceful moments amplified by a group of dolphins surfing the waves below.
“I feel good,” he said. “Great to be back out here.”
The rest of his round for the most part was free from disturbance, too.
In his second start on the PGA Tour in 21⁄ years, the winner of 79 Tour titles 2 and 14 majors took his first step toward what he believes will be more victories with an even-par 72.
Considering Woods didn’t have a clue about what to expect in his return — his surgically repaired back sent him to the sidelines for the majority of the past four years and it had been 12 months since he had a scorecard in his pocket and a full field of rivals in front
of him in an official event on a rugged course — he wasn’t disappointed despite trailing pacesetter Tony Finau by seven shots.
“It was fun. It was fun to compete again,” said Woods, who offset three bogeys, two in his first five holes, with three birdies, including kick-ins on the
10th and 16th holes.
There were far more positives than negatives to build on as the world’s
647th-ranked player heads into the second round and beyond. With his lower back fused — he had spinal fusion surgery in April, the last of four surgical procedures to his back since 2014 — he is healthy and no longer fearing that his next step will shoot pain down to his feet or make him double over.
Instead, he’s more concerned with finding a welcome cadence to playing pro golf again, to practicing for Tour events, to competing in Tour events on a regular basis, to feeling the heat under the gun. It’s a rhythm he hasn’t felt since 2013, when he won five events, including his last win in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
Woods said he was a bit rusty and his iron play wasn’t very good — he hit eight of 14 fairways in regulation and 12 of 18 greens in regulation — and he left himself far too many longish putts to really have a chance to score.
But the rhythm and tempo of his swing smoothed out and his upper body synced with his lower body late in his round. Throughout his day, there was no lack of power as he hit seven drives longer than 300 yards. His short game saved him here and there. The thick rye rough — which Woods hasn’t played out of in 12 months — didn’t cause many problems. His putting was solid, which he said was the part of his game that he was happiest with.
And there were smiles aplenty. While there weren’t as many roars as he would have liked, there were enough to boost his confidence going into the second round on the North Course, which was long the easier of the two courses during the Farmers Insurance Open but is no longer a pushover.
Woods, who has won this tournament a record seven times and claimed his last major here in the 2008 U.S. Open, knows fine-tuning needs to be done, that he has to tighten and cement his swing when the scores count. He said he has to improve his iron play if he’s to make his first cut on the PGA Tour since he tied for 10th in the Wyndham Championship in 2015.
“I care about what I do,” Woods said. “I haven’t done this in a while.”
He gets to do it again Friday and, with a solid round, on Saturday and Sunday. Which is exactly what he’s looking for. And exactly what he needs right now.