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SPORTS Friday 7 September 2018
Woods, McIlroy off to

torrid start at Aronimink

By DOUG FERGUSON nally, that included Woods the putts.
AP Golf Writer in the mix. He had failed The wide fairways and tem-
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. to break par in the open- peratures in the 90s allowed
(AP) — With the glare of a ing round at 10 of his last 11 the golf ball to seemingly fly
scorching sun in his eyes, Ti- tournaments. forever and made for such
ger Woods couldn't believe "Got off to a better start low scoring that 48 players
what he saw. than I have most of the sea- in the 69-man field broke
He finally missed a green son. And as of right now," par. Rickie Fowler opened Tiger Woods watches his shot from the 17th tee during the first
on his 14th hole. he said, pausing to smile, with a 65 in his first tourna- round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at Aronimink
"Is that long?" he said to his "I'm one back. Just the way ment since the PGA Cham- Golf Club, Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, in Newtown Square, Pa.
caddie. "I thought it was it goes." pionship, and at times it felt Associated Press
perfect." He had just signed his card like he was getting lapped
Everything else felt that and saw that McIlroy was at playing alongside Woods. ied three of the last four for ies on his last three holes on
way Thursday in the BMW 9 under, and by the time he Jordan Spieth couldn't a 67. the TPC Boston last week,
Championship, where stepped out from the hot keep it in play off the tee Peter Uihlein, who only ad- had a 64 to join a group
Woods had his lowest sun and suggested another and didn't get under par vanced to the third FedEx that included FedEx Cup
score in an opening round ice bath might be in order, until his 15th hole. He bird- Cup playoff event with bird- champion Justin Thomas.q
in nearly 20 years and his McIlroy had dropped two
best score on the PGA Tour shots before finishing with a
since his last victory more two-putt birdie.
than five years ago. With a It was the lowest score for
bogey on his penultimate Woods since he shot 61 in
hole, he had an 8-under 62 the second round of the
at Aronimink. 2013 Bridgestone Invitation-
And all that got him was a al, which he won by seven
share of the lead with Rory shots for his 79th title on the
McIlroy. PGA Tour and 90th world-
"Just the way it goes," wide. It remains his last vic-
Woods said with a smile, tory.
caring more about a com- And it was his best open-
plete round of golf and a ing round since a 61 in the
strong performance with 1999 Byron Nelson Classic
his old putter than whether on a similar kind of day.
he was leading after one Woods shot 29 on the front
round in the FedEx Cup nine that day at Cotton-
playoffs. wood Valley and it wasn't
Aronimink was never eas- even the best score in his
ier, not with temperatures group (Paul Goydos shot
in the upper 90s and feel- 28). Woods wound up with
ing even hotter. Not on a a one-shot lead that day
course with generous fair- and tied for seventh.
ways and greens so soft Woods returned to the
that Woods hit a 3-iron from same putter he has used
242 yards that landed 8 to win 13 of his 14 majors
feet in front of the hole and — his third different putter
stopped 5 feet away next in as many weeks — and
to the pin. saw some familiar results.
Woods hit nothing longer He opened with a 20-foot
than a 9-iron into the par birdie putt at No. 10, shot
4s. McIlroy relied heavily on 29 on the back nine, and
his wedge game to make then rolled in a 15-foot bird-
a strong bid at 59, only to ie putt on No. 1 to reach 7
make consecutive bogeys under through 10 holes.
late in his round and having He didn't make many more,
to settle for a 62. but he had chances.
Through all the sweat, His only bogey came at the
through all the birdies, they par-3 eighth, by far the most
managed to give Philadel- difficult pin on the course.
phia fans a reason to cheer Woods was between clubs,
for golf in the hours before went with a soft 4-iron and
the Super Bowl champion yanked it into the rough. He
Eagles opened the NFL sea- pitched to 18 feet, a good
son Thursday night against shot up a ridge and onto
Atlanta. a green that sloped away
"It was one of those days from him. The putt caught
where it was out there," the lip.
McIlroy said. Woods and McIlroy still had
And it was a Thursday, fi- to hit the shots and make