Brooks Koepka moved into the 36-hole lead, but Justin Thomas and a whole host of others look to take charge Saturday at East Lake.
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ATLANTA – The standards have changed for Tiger Woods. How could they not, after all that he’s endured? He already considers this season, his first in years that hasn’t been interrupted by injury, a success. In his prime, Woods would have never been content with a winless year. But, after four back surgeries, there was much to celebrate in 2018. He started the year unsure how much he’d be able to play. Not only did his back hold up, but he quickly proved that he was capable of contending. And he qualified for his first TOUR Championship in five years. A victory is the obvious next step in his comeback. He’s given himself another opportunity for win No. 80 win after shooting 65 on Thursday at East Lake Golf Club. He shares the first-round lead with Rickie Fowler. “It would just enhance the year,â€� Woods, the only two-time FedExCup champion, said about a win. “To be able to play golf again and to earn my way back to this level is something that I was hoping I would do at the beginning of the year, but I didn’t know. And I’ve done it.â€� He capped off Thursday’s round with an eagle at 18 that was reminiscent of earlier times. After hitting a 320-yard tee shot on the downhill par-5, Woods hit a high, fading 5-wood that landed softly on the green. He holed the 28-foot putt for eagle. “That was a good one,â€� he said with a smile. Dustin Johnson was the only other player to eagle the hole Thursday. This is the second consecutive tournament where Woods has shared the first-round lead. He opened with a 62 two weeks ago in the BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. Woods said Thursday’s round, though it was three strokes higher, was “far betterâ€� because of East Lake’s demanding layout and slick greens. He was in control of his game from tee to green on Thursday. His only mishit was a “neckedâ€� 3-wood off the 17th tee. He missed just four fairways and four greens. “Conditions were soft there,â€� Woods said about Aronimink Golf Club. “It’s hard to get the ball closer (at East Lake). There’s so much chase in it. If you drive the ball in the rough, you know you can’t get the ball close. The Bermuda rough, you just can’t control it. It puts a premium on driving and puts a premium on allowing for a little bit of chase on some of these greens. When I had some good looks, I went right after it, and otherwise I played pretty conservatively.â€� His first round at East Lake started inauspiciously, with a three-putt from 24 feet. It was his only bogey of the day. He made consecutive birdies at Nos. 5 and 6, holing putts of 26 and 15 feet, to make the turn in 1-under 34. He added birdies at 12 and 14 before his eagle at the finishing hole. On 14, he hit his 206-yard approach shot to 8 feet. Woods finished T6 at the BMW Championship. He was hampered by his putting in his second-round 70, then shot 66-65 in the final two rounds. He pulled within a shot of the lead in the final round before finishing three back of winner Keegan Bradley. Woods drove the ball well at the BMW Championship and continued that trend Thursday. He was 12th in driving accuracy at Aronimink while averaging 301 yards off the tee. Only two players – Paul Casey and Justin Rose – hit more fairways than Woods on Thursday. He has thrived with his driver since increasing its loft and changing shafts at the first event of the Playoffs, THE NORTHERN TRUST. “I had enough of it that I couldn’t turn the ball over,â€� Woods said Thursday. “I was pretty one-dimensional with a flat cut, or if I hit a straight ball, it was just not carrying far enough. I’d have to make a different swing with a driver than I would with a 3-wood or 5-wood or 2-iron, and I didn’t want to do that anymore.â€� With the TOUR Championship re-pairing after each round, Woods and Fowler will play in Friday’s final group. They also were paired in the first two rounds at Aronimink, where Fowler shot 65-65 in his first start since an oblique injury. “In my eyes, looking at it, the biggest win for him is just staying healthy and being out here all year consistently,â€� Fowler said. An actual victory would be an even bigger story. In the final event of the season, Woods has another opportunity to make it happen.
THE OVERVIEW He hasn’t won a PGA TOUR event in five years and hasn’t won a major in nearly 10 years. In the last 28 months, he’s made just four starts worldwide, as back injuries have kept him sidelined while conjecture about his future reached a crescendo. We haven’t seen him compete at a TOUR event in a year. And yet Tiger Woods is the dominant storyline entering this week’s Farmers Insurance Open. It’s easy to understand why. “He’s the most compelling story in golf – maybe in sports,â€� CBS analyst Nick Faldo said this week. The network is beginning its 49th year of PGA TOUR coverage at the Farmers, the first of 21 TOUR events it will broadcast in 2018. Just like a year ago, when Woods last played on TOUR, CBS will offer a heavy dose of all things Tiger. (In addition, PGA TOUR LIVE will also have extensive coverage of Woods – click here for the complete schedule). The fascination with Woods – the 79-time TOUR winner with 14 majors – may never go away. Although he’s far removed from his last appearance in the winner’s circle (the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in early August of 2013), he’s never really drifted from the consciousness of golf fans. The curiosity factor of whether he can successfully come back from his plethora of back injuries is the focal point now. “The world superstar sometimes doesn’t do justice to the superior superstars,â€� said CBS anchor Jim Nantz said when asked why we remain so drawn to Tiger. “There’s a level there that’s reserved for just a few – [Tom] Brady, [Michael] Jordan, Woods. I’m talking about contemporary superstars. Megastars. “Imagine if Tom Brady had taken a step away from the game and we didn’t really see him compete for five years. And I know it hasn’t been five years for Tiger, but it’s been five years since he won. And all of the sudden Tom Brady is going to go and throw the jersey on and No 12’s on the field again. What is that going to look like this Sunday? Man, I’m watching. “Like Jordan decides to come out of retirement after all these years and he’s going to play a real game again, not an exhibition. What will that look like? I gotta see that. My day is going to be scheduled around that. “That’s kind of where we’re at with Tiger.â€� Nantz, who has been a part of CBS’ golf coverage for more than three decades, said he has “not given upâ€� on Tiger making a successful comeback. But he has tempered expectations this week, saying that simply making the cut “would be for him a good start.â€� Faldo, meanwhile, not only will be focused on how Tiger navigates the Torrey Pines fairways – Woods missed eight consecutive fairways to end last year’s first round – but also wonders about the 42-year-old’s fatigue factor. Faldo said playing in the heat of TOUR competition is much different than the relaxed atmosphere at last month’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, when Tiger showed some encouraging signs. “Does he have the stamina for a tournament week, the consistency, because you’ve got to keep out of that lovely 4-inch rough,â€� Faldo said. However it turns out, Nantz and Faldo will be there to describe the action – and the rest of us no doubt will be captivated by Tiger’s latest return. A winner here last year. His last three worldwide starts: two wins and a runner-up. Hottest player in golf unless it’s … What’s he done since the last time we saw him on U.S. soil? Three wins and three more top 10s in seven starts. In terrific form but Torrey Pines hasn’t been kind to him lately – three MCs and a T61 in his last four appearances. PLAYER COMMENT THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER When Tom Weiskopf renovated Torrey Pines North prior to last year’s tournament, he reversed the nines, thus making the old 6th and 7th holes (with ocean views) the new 15th and 16th holes. In addition, Weiskopf improved both holes. He reduced the green slope at the par-3 15th, and now thinks it can compete with the South course’s No. 3 hole as one of the most memorable at Torrey Pines. “No, I think it’s better than that one,â€� he told media members during a course preview. As for the par-4 16th, he lowered the green by 10-12 feet to create a bowl effect so that that approach shots might bounce their way onto the putting surface. “It was not a good hole in my estimation,â€� Weiskopf said. “We made it much better.â€� THE LANDING ZONE Long and into the wind — that pretty much sums up the 504-yard par-4 12th at Torrey Pines South. No wonder it ranked as the toughest hole on the course last year and the fifth toughest of the 900 holes played on the PGA TOUR last season, with a stroke average of 4.435. Bunkers guard both the landing area and the green. Just 52 percent of all drives found the fairway last year, while 41 percent of all approach shots found the green. Here’s a look at where all drives landed in 2017. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Stewart Williams: “A weak cold front will move across S. California on Thursday that will bring a strong on-shore flow. This will likely produce some low clouds and patchy marine layer fog Thursday morning before lifting for the afternoon. Can’t rule out a few sprinkles, but most areas should remain dry. It will be much cooler with highs in the upper 50s. High pressure returns Friday into the weekend providing moderate off-shore flow. This will lead to warmer temperatures Saturday and Sunday.â€� For the latest weather news from San Diego, California, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK The more attention you guys have on Tiger, the better for me, quite frankly … Hopefully I keep playing good and give you guys something to talk about, but it’s not bad that the attention’s on Tiger. It’s good for golf, it’s good for all of us. BY THE NUMBERS 7,698 – Scorecard yardage at Torrey Pines South, which made it the second-longest course on the PGA TOUR last season (behind Erin Hills/U.S. Open at 7,741 yards). 50.5 – Percentage of fairways hit at Torrey Pines North last season. Just three other courses had tougher fairways to hit. 8 – Wins by Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines – seven in the Farmers Insurance Open, along with his 2008 U.S. Open win. That ties for most wins by Tiger on any course on the PGA TOUR (also eight each at Bay Hill and Firestone). SCATTERSHOTS We’re now 10 weeks into the 40-week regular season of the FedExCup race. Of the top 10 players entering this week, just four were in the top 10 at this time a year ago – Jon Rahm, Pat Perez, Brendan Steele and eventual champ Justin Thomas. Rahm, No. 2 in FedExCup points, is the highest ranked player in the field this week. … San Diego native Xander Schauffele made his PGA TOUR debut at the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open and also played in 2017, each time failing to make the cut. But now he’s a two-time TOUR winner and the reigning Rookie of the Year. “I’ve yet to play the weekend, so small goals set first,â€� Schauffele said about this week. “Can’t win a tournament unless you play Saturday, Sunday, so we’re looking forward to having a good week.â€� … Another player with San Diego ties is Charley Hoffman, who was born nearby. Hoffman is making his 21st start in the Farmers; he has two top-10 finishes and 11 made cuts. He’ll be one of Woods’ partners in the first two rounds along with Patrick Reed. … The first four times Rickie Fowler played the Farmers, he was a cumulative 33 under with 13 rounds under par and a best finish of T5 (in 2010). The last four times he’s played here, he’s a cumulative 10 over with 3 rounds under par and a best finish of T61.
CROMWELL, Conn. – Jordan Spieth was cruising along at the Travelers Championship at 3 under par when he stepped to the sixth tee. Just as Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Wesley Bryan were preparing to hit the crowd behind the tee box began to stir. “A lady fainted and then obviously we were going to wait, our officer was right on top of it, and then the guy that was walking with us was on top of getting the paramedics involved, and she ended up being OK,� said Spieth, who opened with a 63 for a one-stroke lead. “We obviously were hoping she was going to be OK. And then wanted to be appropriate on how we went through the rest of our hole.� Spieth said this is the second time in a month someone in
