Tiger Woods had no cause to complain about his putting after climbing within three stokes of first round leader Jason Gore at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday.
Woods took just 24 putts in a two-under 68 that left him poised to challenge for a sixth victory at Bay Hill.
Woods is playing just his third tournament since undergoing major knee surgery last June.
PHOTO: AP
He had to overcame a poor start, a double-bogey at the par-five sixth, where he pulled his drive into the lake left of the fairway.
He also hit a poor drive at the par-four eighth, but found a gap between the trees and salvaged par, before also escaping with a par at nine, where he sank a 13-footer.
Buoyed by those reprieves, he ran off four consecutive birdies from No.10 as his putter caught fire.
Meanwhile, Gore went about his business in relative anonymity, capping off a stellar day with a four-foot birdie at his final hole for a five-under 65, earning a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans Tim Herron and Jeff Overton.
Meanwhile, it was a miserable day for 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa.
Followed every step of the way by about 50 Japanese journalists and photographers, he shot 76 after running up a quadruple-bogey at the par-five sixth.
■ PHOENIX LPGA
AFP, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
South Korea’s Kim In-kyung carded a four-under 68 on Thursday to take the lead after the opening round of the Phoenix LPGA International.
Kim’s round was highlighted by an eagle at Papago Golf Course’s No.18 — her ninth hole of the day — where she chipped in from 20 feet.
She added five birdies with three bogeys.
Kim led a group of five players — including compatriots Shin Ji-yai, Ji Eun-hee and Park In-bee — by one stroke. Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and American Cristie Kerr were also in the group on 69.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa was tied 21st on even-par 72 with Taiwan’s Yani Tseng and Candie Kung.
■ ANDALUCIA OPEN
AFP, SEVILLE, SPAIN
Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie marked his 500th European Tour appearance in style on Thursday by finishing the first round of the Andalucia Open one shot off the lead.
Montgomerie, struggling at No. 137 in the world, carded a five-under 67 to join fellow Scot Steven O’Hara, France’s Jean-Francois Lucquin and Juan Parron of Spain in second place at the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla. However, it was another Scot, unheralded Chris Doak, who was on top of the leaderboard after a bogey-free six-under 66.
Montgomerie carded four birdies in his first six holes, but then ran up a six on the 16th after going into the water. He then converted chances of 15 feet and 30 feet at the 18th and first. An 18 footer also went in for par at the second and, after a second bogey two holes later, he holed from the same distance at the fifth and parred in.
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