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SPORTS Saturday 10 March 2018
TIGER WOODS tee and especially on the else," Jordan Spieth said.
Continued from Page 17 green, where he could at- Spieth missed the cut for
Conners was on the putting tack putts from below the the second time this year.
green when Woods and hole.He took the lead with He is still trying to rediscover
his entourage — officials, a drive that was heading his putting touch, and his
security, media and strag- left, struck a cart path and iron game left him in an
glers — walked along the caromed back into the opening round of 76. He
edge of the green, in front fairway on his 14th hole, didn't fare much better on
of another group waiting the par-5 fifth. That set up a Friday with two birdies, two
to tee off on No. 1 and to- long iron into the front right bogeys, a 71 and a phone
ward the scoring area. bunker and a delicate shot call to get back to Dallas
"I definitely saw that," Con- from the sand to about 5 sooner than he wanted.
ners said. "I've seen that the feet for his fourth birdie of "I've played with Tiger many
last few days as well. Pretty the round. times. It's nothing new," Spi-
cool. Hopefully, I can be in He saved par with a 12- eth said. "It kind of feels like
a position where I get some foot putt on No. 7 and was you're playing in a major
followers Sunday." heading toward a bogey- championship in a normal Corey Conners tees off on the 18th hole during the second round
of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Friday, March 9,
Until that moment, the clos- free round until his wedge round, which if anything 2018, in Palm Harbor, Fla.
est Conners ever got to on the par-5 ninth rode the should bring out better golf
Woods was at the Masters shifting wind to the right for me. I just got way off on
three years ago when he and into the gallery, his my iron play, with putting
watched him on the range. ball on a woman's bag. Af- not improving either. That's
Conners played at Augus- ter getting a drop, his chip how you shoot over par."
ta National that year as the came out too strong and Henrik Stenson, the other
U.S. Amateur runner-up. hit the flag, leaving it only 6 major champion in the
Being close to him on the feet away. group, had another 74 and
leaderboard is an entirely He missed the putt and missed the cut. Also head-
different dynamic. didn't seem all that both- ed home was Rory McIlroy,
Conners was at 6-under ered. who shot 73 and missed the
136 and will play in the fi- Just over five months ago, cut for the second time in
nal group with Paul Casey, Woods still didn't have four starts on the PGA Tour
who had a 68. Woods and clearance to begin hitting this year.
Brandt Snedeker (68) will full shots, much less to play McIlroy played with Woods
be in the group in front of without restrictions. In his in December before his re-
them, with thousands of fourth PGA Tour event in turn and was alarmed at
fans lining the fairways and seven weeks, he looks like how good he looked. He
surrounding the greens. a contender. said Woods never missed a
"I don't think this will be "I've come a long way in shot when they played.
leading, but at least I'm that span of time," Woods "I'd seen this three months
there with a chance going said. ago," McIlroy said. "So
into the weekend," Woods The energy in the gallery yeah, he's playing great.
said when he finished. "To- was enormous, especially I'd love to be here for the
day was a good day." for this sleepy tournament, weekend to be in conten-
Woods has been slowed and toward the end of the tion, but I'll be an interested
by mistakes, some leading round the fans were look- observer watching TV over
to big numbers. The sec- ing for any reason to cheer. the weekend, see how it
ond round at Innisbrook "The roars are a little louder, unfolds."
was all about control of and there's certainly an en- Casey holed a 15-foot bird-
his shots that rarely put ergy about the gallery that ie putt on the 18th for his 68,
him out of position off the you don't have anywhere putting him in good shape
going into the weekend.
Casey has gone nearly four
years since his last victory.
He was on the opposite side
of the course as Woods,
though he could hear him.
"Feels like the old days,"
Casey said. Woods nev-
er really saw his name
on the board. Whenever
he glanced at the video
board, it was showing Spi-
eth or Stenson putting and
their statistics. But he could
sense from the crowd that
everything was going his
way. "To play myself into
contention this early into
it was nice, and on top of
that, to build on what I did
a week ago," he said, refer-
ring to the Honda Classic
when he was on the fringe
of contention going to the
final nine holes. "I feel com-
fortable out there."q