It was ‘Tigermania’ some 20 years on with Tiger Woods sending fans into a frenzy as he posted a lowest score in two years on the opening day of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Woods grabbed seven birdies and dropped just one shot in a six under par 64 under a ‘preferred lie’ rule on the rain-softened par 70 Sedgefield Country Club course.
Tiger Woods leaves scorer’s hut with his lowest score in two years.
He is contesting the event first time in his career and made a big impact with Woods signing for his best round since an 11-under par 61 on route in 2013 to an eighth WGC – Bridgestone Invitational victory in Ohio.
“The way the golf course is playing so soft you have to go for the birdies as there is some years you can go to a golf course that is brutally hard like Firestone when no one is making birdie,” said Woods.
“Then you can go back to Firestone after a lot of rain and everyone is making birdie and this course here in Greensboro is one of those courses.
“So when it is like this you just have to throw darts and go low.”
Tiger Woods enjoys talking with four-time European Tour winner Nick Dougherty after his round of 64.
Woods pulled off one of the best shots at the first, playing a Phil Mickelson ‘flop shot’ from left of the green, that set the audience noise level for the four-and-a-half hours when the ball dropped for birdie.
“Given the amount of rain we’ve had the greens are very soft so rather than go for something conservative I got aggressive and went for it, and managed to pull it off,” said Woods.
“So I could see the ball going in and gave it a good early call, and that was a nice way to start any round.
“But while I made some great birdies I also made two great saving pars, the first at my seventh and then there at the last, so that kept the momentum and that made my day which standing here feels really good.”
Tiger Woods shoots his lowest round in two years of a six under par 64.
And Woods looked in a very good mood all day and was seen often laughing at the joke-telling antics of playing partner, Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.
“Yes, Hideki was keeping us entertained all day and he certainly told us some good ones,” said Woods smiling.
“But there was none I could repeat to you guys.”
Woods arrived in North Carolina lying 187th on the FedEx Play-Off points list and knowing he needs to win to be assured of being among the top-125 who move onto the series start next week in New Jersey.
The fellow American pair of William McGirt and Erik Compton share the clubhouse lead at eight under par in the $US 6.4m event..
