BETHESDA, United States: Tiger Woods (pictured) began the second round of his comeback yesterday fighting to make the cut at the PGA National and give himself more playing time before next month’s British Open.
Woods, a 14-time major winner chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, fired a three-over par 74 on Thursday at Congressional Country Club in his first competitive round since undergoing back surgery March 31 to relieve a pinched nerve.
Applause from hundreds of well wishers greeted Woods at the first tee Friday, one fan shouting, “We missed you Tiger. Welcome back,” moments before Woods approached his ball.
Woods found the right rough on the 402-yard opening hole but recovered to reach the green with his approach and two-putted for par from 30 feet.
Australians Marc Leishman and Oliver Goss, the latter in only his second week as a professional, fired 66s Friday to share the early clubhouse lead on six-under 136 -- leaving Woods 10 strokes adrift.
Woods, who has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open, had not played since March 9 at Doral, where he fired a 78 for the worst final-round score of his career.
The 38-year-old American spent months on rehabilitation and is trying to shake the rust off his game ahead of the British Open in three weeks at Royal Liverpool, where he won the Claret Jug in 2006.
Three weeks after that will come the year’s final major tournament, the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where Woods won the PGA crown in 2000.
But this week, Woods finds himself simply trying to make the cut to the low 60 and those tied at the $6.5m US PGA Tour tournament.
Woods, who has fallen from first to fifth in the rankings during his layoff, finished the first round sharing 83rd place.
“It’s nice to get back out here playing again,” Woods said.
AFP
