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SPORTS Friday 21 September 2018

Tiger Woods returns to Tour Championship with share of lead

By DOUG FERGUSON PGA Tour events in the pre- Bryson DeChambeau, the
ATLANTA (AP) — The crowd vious four seasons. No. 1 seed after the points
at East Lake was larger and "To be able to play golf were reset, had to birdie
louder than it has been in again and to earn my way two of the last three holes
five years, which was the back to this level is some- for a 71. For someone like
last time Tiger Woods was thing that I was hoping I Woods or Fowler to win
at the Tour Championship. would do at the begin- the FedEx Cup, they would
It was no coincidence. ning of the year, but I didn't need the top five seeds to
Woods played one of his know," Woods said. "And falter.
best rounds of the year in I've done it?" Rose and Thomas didn't go
his return to the FedEx Cup What would winning mean along with that with strong
finale and caused the big- in this comeback? opening rounds. Finau
gest cheer of a sun-baked "It would enhance the overcame a pair of early
Thursday afternoon by year," he said. bogeys for his 67.
making an eagle putt from Woods still has 54 holes re- The key for Woods could be
just over 25 feet on the par- maining. Two weeks ago, Friday. Only once this year,
5 18th for a 5-under 65 and he went from a share of the at the Valspar Champion-
a share of the lead with first-round lead to five shots ship at Innisbrook, has he
Rickie Fowler. behind on a course where stayed consistently in the
It was the second time in attacking flags on soft thick of it all tournament.
as many FedEx Cup play- greens was the only option He figures to have plenty
off events that Woods was for low scoring. of support. Houses along
tied for the 18-hole lead. This was more about preci- the side streets outside East
He shot a 62 at Aronim- sion, and Woods felt in total Lake, and even one funeral
ink in the opening round control. He opened with a home, offered parking and
of the BMW Champion- three-putt bogey from 25 their yards were packed. It
ship two weeks ago on a feet, and he twice ran bird- hasn't been like that in sev-
rain-soaked course that al- ie attempts farther beyond eral years.
lowed just about everyone the hole than he would Rickie Fowler reacts to missing his birdie putt on the first hole "I hadn't played this tour-
during the first round of the Tour Championship golf tournament
to go low. have liked. But after mak- at East Lake Golf Club, in Atlanta, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. nament in five years, and
This felt even better on ing birdie putts from 25 feet Associated Press some of the people said
a dry, tougher East Lake on No. 5 and from 15 feet they haven't been out here
course. on No. 6, he figured out the to play a little bit better and light breeze, and Thursday in five years," Woods said.
"This was by far better than speed of the greens and beat him." was all about staying in the "That's kind of nice that
the 62 at Aronimink," Woods was on his way. Sixteen players in the 30- game, especially as it re- they're coming out and
said. "Conditions were soft "I hit so many quality shots man field broke par on a lates to the chase for the supporting this event and
there. This, it's hard to get all day, whether it was tee- hot afternoon with only a FedEx Cup. supporting me, as well."q
the ball closer. If you drive to-green or it was putts,"
the ball in the rough, you Woods said. "I didn't re-
know you can't get the ball ally mishit a single shot to-
close. You just can't control day. The only shot I can
it." honestly say that I necked
Fowler, who missed two pretty bad was the tee shot
playoff events recovering at 17. Hit a 3-wood there,
from an injury to his right and with an iron, I probably
oblique, putted for birdie would have shanked it. But
on all but two holes for his ended up in the fairway
65 as he tries to avoid end- and made par."
ing the season without win- Woods will play in the final
ning. group Friday with Fowler,
Justin Rose, in his debut as who has seen plenty of
the No. 1 player in the world, him at home in Florida in
got up-and-down from the the months before Woods
bunker for birdie on the returned to golf. He had
18th for a 66 and was tied finished his round and was
with Gary Woodland. Rory doing interviews when he
McIlroy, Justin Thomas and heard the head-turning
Rory McIlroy, all of whom roar of Woods making ea-
will be in France next week gle.They will be teammates
for the Ryder Cup, were an- next week at the Ryder
other shot behind. Cup. Fowler has other ob-
Woods already considers jectives at East Lake.
this a successful year just "The biggest win for him is
by making into the 30-man just staying healthy and
field at East Lake for the Fe- being out here all year
dEx Cup finale, where ev- consistently," Fowler said.
eryone has a mathemati- "Definitely happy for him.
cal shot at capturing the It's obviously great for our
$10 million bonus. He start- sport. It's great to have him
ed the season in January as part of the team next
after a fourth back surgery week. We hope he contin-
that limited him to only 16 ues to play well. I just want