Tiger Woods - seeking a first win in two years - made a bright start to the Australian Open at The Lakes on Thursday.
Woods opens with bogey-free 68 at Australian Open
Tiger Woods - seeking a first win in two years - made a bright start to the Australian Open at The Lakes on Thursday.
Woods carded a bogey-free four-under 68 to finish the opening day in a tie for eighth - three shots behind surprise leader Jarrod Lyle (65).
The former world number one had to settle for seven opening pars after suffering three early lip outs before he rattled off three birdies in four holes. Five more pars completed a good day's work in which he hit 78% of greens in regulation.
"I hit it really good today, that was exactly how I've been hitting it at home so that's good that I was able to take it to the golf course and in these conditions hit all the shots," said Woods, who made his score in the tougher afternoon conditions.
"I missed a couple of greens here and there but missed them in the right spots, except for nine, that was a terrible golf shot, but I got away with it with a good up and down.
"I think it's rewarding the fact I hit it just like I have been at home. I just needed to take it to the golf course, and here it is," added Woods after his first bogey-free round in nine months.
Woods is one of eight members of the US Presidents Cup team taking part as they prepare for next week's showdown with the Internationals in Melbourne.
Two of Fred Couples' team - Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney - share second place, just one behind Lyle, after carding six-under 66s while Couples himself is in a tie for fourth with Aussies Greg Chalmers, James Nitties and Steve Jones.
Shot of the day
Adam Scott hit the shot of the day with an albatross at the par-five eighth.
The Aussie's six-iron on the 557-yard hole bounced a few feet in front of the pin before rolling in, to the delight of the crowd.
That helped Scott card a three-under 69 after four birdies were wiped out by four bogeys.
"Yeah it was a bit of luck to go in the hole, it was a good shot but a bit of luck and it certainly put me on the right path after a bit of a slow start," Scott said.
"It was straight down wind and I was just trying to put the ball right at the hole and it drew in there a little bit on the wind ... and it was very lucky to go in."
Day one was not without controversy, with troubled American John Daly storming off the course midway through his round and heading straight for his hotel room after running out of golf balls.
Tournament director Trevor Herden said Daly will never again be welcome at the Australian Open.
