Noren, Simpson lead, Woods has solid 70

Alex Noren and Webb Simpson each shot a 4-under-par 66 to lead the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Garden, Fla., on a day so tough for scoring that Tiger Woods had his best day in his return and didn’t break par Thursday.

Woods had only one bad hole, a double bogey on the par-5 third, and was four shots behind.

Only 20 players managed to break par at PGA National.

“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.

PGA champion Justin Thomas and Louis Oosthuizen were among those at 67. Rory McIlroy played in the afternoon and after salvaging a par on the 16th hole when he thought his ball was in the water, he wasn’t so lucky on the 18th hole. He hit into the water and made double-bogey for a 72.

Woods got off to clean start except for one visit to the concession stands. He holed a 20foot birdie putt on No. 11 and hit a wedge over the bunker to 4 feet for birdie on No. 13.

His only wild drive was on the 12th, when he pulled it so far left that the ball came to rest next to two carts, one for frozen lemonade, the other for soft pretzels. Not a problem. The carts were moved, leaving him a good angle into the green, and he got a par.

On the second-easiest hole on the course, the par-5 third, Woods drove into a fairway bunker, laid up and put his third shot in a bunker. He barely got it out to the collar, used the edge of his sand wedge to putt it down toward the hole and missed the 3-foot par putt.

He answered with a birdie, made par the rest of the way and shot 70.

“It was very positive today,” Woods said. “It was a tough day out there for all of us, and even par is a good score.”

This is Woods’ third PGA Tour event since returning from a fourth back surgery. Woods tied for 23rd at Torrey Pines and missed the cut at Riviera. He has not missed consecutive cuts over 36 holes in his PGA Tour career, and that could be on the line Friday because he faces the typically tougher afternoon conditions.

It was plenty tough for Adam Scott, who again stumbled his way through the closing stretch of holes that feature water, water and more water. Scott went into the water on the par-3 15th and made double-bogey, and then hit into the water on the par-3 17th and made triplebogey. He shot 73. LPGA Tour: Three-time tour winner Minjee Lee of Australia finished with a superb eagle putt to be among the four leaders after day one of the LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Chonburi.

Lee sank a 45-foot putt on the 18th hole to card a 6-under 66 for a share of the lead with 2016 champion Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, and local hope Moriya Jutanugarn. 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 65.