Stenson leads Bay Hill; Woods four back

ORLANDO, Fla. — Henrik Stenson had a hot putter, a much quieter crowd and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

One week after Stenson returned from his winter break and spent two days with Tiger Woods and his raucous crowds, he made birdie on half of the holes at Bay Hill for an 8-under-par 64, his lowest round ever on the course the King built.

PGA Tour rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch each had 65. Wise missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Woods again brought out big crowds in the unseasonable chill Thursday and gave them quite a show.

He hit a tee shot that was out of bounds by inches. He atoned for that with a 70-foot birdie putt. And he wound up with a 68, his best opening round since he returned this year from a fourth back surgery.

Each week is a little better for Woods, and Stenson saw the progress last week. The 41-year-old Swede typically takes a month off between the Middle East swing and the Florida swing, and he returned last week to a grouping of Woods and Jordan Spieth. That didn’t bother him as much as his poor putting.

Bay Hill provided a change in both areas.

At Phoenix, Karine Icher and Chella Choi each shot 5-under 67 in chilly, windy conditions to share the first-round lead in the Founders Cup.

Bishop Gorman product Inbee Park was a shot back with Ariya Jutanugarn, Lizette Salas, Cydney Clanton, Mariajo Uribe and Hee Young Park in the event that honors the 13 women who founded the LPGA Tour in 1950.

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