Tiger makes a roaring start at Bay Hill
Bookies install impressive former world No.1 as Masters favourite, Stenson grabs slim lead
>> MIAMI: Tiger Woods’ rolled in six birdies, including a 71-footer at the seventh hole, to leap into contention on Thursday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational led by Henrik Stenson.
Woods, the 14-time major champion and eight-time winner at Bay Hill, started early and showed the peak form that sparked his best finish in five years last week.
“It was just getting a feel for playing tournament golf again and I think I have it,” said Woods, who is playing the fifth PGA Tour event since returning in January from spinal fusion surgery last April.
“I’m not thinking as much around the golf course. I can just see it, feel it and go. That’s because I’ve got my ‘feels’ back.”
Three weeks before the start of the Masters, the year’s first major tournament, Woods showed none of the back pain that sidelined him most of the past two seasons. He has undergone four back operations, doubting at one stage if he would ever return to competitive golf.
“I enjoy just playing again. After what I’ve been through, just playing feels good,” Woods said.
Told that Las Vegas oddsmakers were making him the Masters favourite based on his past week’s performance, Woods said, “A lot of gambleholics out there.”
“We have a long way to go. It’s just the first day. I’ve got three days to go and hopefully I can cap it off with a nice win.”
Sweden’s Stenson made nine birdies against a lone bogey to open with a 64.
American rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch were tied for second on 65.
Jimmy Walker, the 2016 PGA Championship winner, holed out from 132 yards for an eagle on the 18th fairway to complete an opening 67 that left him tied with Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau, one stroke ahead of Woods.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy was set to match Walker and Fowler but closed with a doublebogey to finish on 69.
The day’s electricity came from Woods, the 42-year-old superstar who has not won a major since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t captured any title since the 2013 World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational.
Woods, who also won his eighth Bay Hill crown in 2013, birdied all four par-5 holes and played the rest of the round at level par, two birdies undone by one bad tee shot and a double-bogey disaster.
“People have been so supportive. It has been a great atmosphere overall since I’ve come back and started playing again,” Woods said.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
(Par-72, USA unless noted) 64 — Henrik Stenson (SWE) 65 — Aaron Wise, Talor Gooch
67 — Jimmy Walker, Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau
68 — Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods, An ByeongHun (KOR), Billy Horschel, Brian Harman, J.B. Holmes
69 — Brandon Harkins, Justin Rose (ENG), Graeme McDowell (NIR), Zach Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Rory McIlroy (NIR), Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Ernie Els (RSA), Sam Burns