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Friday 24 January 2020
Woods opens with 69 at Torrey North to start new year

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tiger just focus on Tiger and
Woods had his lowest watch him the entire day
opening round of the year and realize I forgot how to
since 2011. It wasn't enough play golf," Morikawa said.
to be among the leaders "And that's what I'm out
Thursday at the Farmers In- here to do, I'm out here to
surance Open, but it was win. It's really cool to play
fine with him. with him finally and to get a
Coming off his record-tying round in with him because
82nd victory in his last PGA crowds are different.
Tour start three months ago "There's just nothing like it.
in Japan, Woods handled You can't describe it."
the par 5s on the easier McIlroy, who has never
North Course at Torrey won in his first event of the
Pines and limited mistakes year, can return to No. 1 in
for a 3-under 69. the world for the first time
Sebastian Cappelen and in more than four years by
Keegan Bradley had the winning. He also handled
low scores of the opening the par 5s by making birdie
round, which was not the on all of them, along with
same as sharing the lead. adding three birdies.
Cappelen had eight bird- McIlroy has a new driver in
ies for a 66 on the South play, which didn't feel right
Course, which played Tiger Woods hits out of the bunker on the eleventh hole of the North Course at Torrey Pines Golf to him during the pro-am.
about three shots tough- Course during the first round of the Farmers Insurance golf tournament, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in He spent Wednesday after-
er than the North, where San Diego. noon making some adjust-
Bradley shot his 66. Associated Press ments and seemed to be
Rory McIlroy, who played on track.
in the group in front of birdie. His flop shot from could have gotten one or this week is a chance to set "It's funny, you go through
Woods, was among those 50 yards short of the green two more out of my round the PGA Tour career victo- that testing process at the
at 67. Jon Rahm, playing on the next hole came up today," Woods said. "But ries record with No. 83 on start of the year with new
alongside Woods, was in short and into a bunker, overall, I felt like it was a the first course where his equipment. There's things
the large group at 68. leading to a bogey. He was good start, especially go- father took him to watch a that seem really good on
Woods hasn't broken 70 in even par at the turn on a ing into the South Course. PGA Tour event. the range, but once you
his first round of the year course where lower scores I don't know what the guys Rahm, who got married actually play some rounds
since a 69 on the North at are expected. did on the South Course in in Spain before Christmas with them competitively
Torrey in 2011. His health, Even so, there was little dra- relation to the North, but I and has another wedding and try to hit certain shots,
his game and even his mo- ma. The best views were of felt like the golf course was in San Diego next month for things sort of appear," Mc-
mentum are in much bet- the still waters of the Pacific certainly gettable today." his bride's American family Ilroy said. "We seemed to
ter shape now. His game below on a magnificent Bubba Watson had a 67 on and friends, was 4 under have fixed it."
wasn't all that far off. day. The biggest roars, as the South, while three oth- through eight holes until he Cappelen, a rookie from
"It was nice to kind of keep usual, belonged to the er players broke 70 on the stalled. Denmark, was doing his
the round going a little Navy jets above. South, which hosted the Along for the ride was Col- own thing away from the
bit," Woods said. "Overall, Woods kept it simple, with a U.S. Open in 2008 and gets lin Morikawa, who wasn't crowd, narrowly dodging
pleased to shoot some- nifty wedge to short range another U.S. Open next even born when Woods the fog that rolled in late in
thing in the 60s today." on his 10th hole, a two-putt year. made his pro debut. The the afternoon, and he was
It took a little time to get birdie from 18 feet on the Woods has won this event 22-year-old Morikawa shot doing it well.
going. He left himself in a par-5 fifth and an easy up- seven times, not including 70. "I never really put me in
bad shot right of the green and-down for birdie on the his 2008 U.S. Open title or "I had to tell to tell myself to a terrible spot where I
on the par-5 10th to start his final hole. the Junior World when he just focus on golf after that couldn't make par," he
round and failed to make "I could probably, maybe was a teenager. At stake first hole because I could said.q
Jessica Korda shoots 66, takes 2-shot lead in Boca Raton

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — holes — and two bogeys. is like everything is in its atanakit of Thailand were since the start of the off-
Jessica Korda shot a 6-un- From Bradenton, the five- space and you only bring two strokes back with South season, which was kind of
der 66 in high wind Thursday time LPGA Tour winner is a certain amount of things. Korea's Sei Young Kim. stressful," Tavatanakit said.
to take the first-round lead staying at home this week. All of a sudden I have all "I've been prepping for a "I was a little intimidated by
in the Gainbridge LPGA at "It's beautiful to be able to these options. I don't really moment like this, so I'm very the idea of the LPGA Tour
Boca Rio, the tour's first full- drive to a tournament," Kor- know what to do with that happy with it," Kawamoto and being out here, the
field event of the season da said. "Doesn't happen right now, but I'm still trying said. "I feel comfortable transition from the Syme-
and first official event in that often, at least in my to prepare the way that I that I was able to play like tra Tour and three rounds
Boca Raton in more than own car. So yeah, it's been would in the hotel." this. I feel like I was able to just a different environ-
30 years. really nice. And I'm staying Play was suspended be- to prove that I can play ment, everyone takes it
Korda birdied her final two at home this week, which is cause of darkness with 12 here. My goal is to play four seriously out here. After I
holes, finishing with a 25- even nicer. players unable to finish the days." cut out those thoughts and
foot putt on the par-4 ninth "It's kind of weird actually round. Heavy rain delayed Tavatanakit won three focused on what I have
at Boca Rio Golf Club. The staying at home because play for nearly 40 minutes times last year on the Syme- to do, it has been working
26-year-old Florida player I don't really know what late in the afternoon. tra Tour. pretty well." Carlota Cigan-
had eight birdies — con- to do. It's not like a hotel Tour rookies Yui Kawamoto "I've been waiting to come da, Xiyu Lin and Lindsey
verting on all four par-5 room where everything of Japan and Patty Tav- out here for three months, Weaver shot 69.q