Torrey Pines, California …
Tiger Woods admitted he got the new season ‘juices flowing’ from his very first tee shot in his very first event of 2019.
Woods, and a former seven-time Farmers Insurance Open winner, split the fairway with a 288-yard drive ahead of producing a very respectable two-under par 70.
The effort handed Woods a share of 53rd place and trailing eight strokes behind Spanish sensation Jon Rahm, who had the distinction of having his Spanish-based grandmother on hand to see the current World No. 7 post a blistering 10-under par 62.
Included in Rahm’s score was a starting hole eagle ‘3’ while the Spaniard also eagled the eighth hole of his round to be out in 29 and while he bogeyed his 12th hole, Rahm grabbed four birdies in succession from his 14th to 17th holes on the ‘easier’ North Course.
Tiger Woods has that look of being very pleased with himself after posting a score of 70 in his very first event of 2019. (Photo – @tourmiss)
“I mean, what to say. I don’t think you ever tee up on any course at Torrey Pines expecting to shoot 10-under par,” said Rahm.
“That just doesn’t happen. But yeah, I mean, you mentioned a couple of key moments. Starting with an eagle, obviously it’s a huge thing.
“You’re 2-under par, great momentum, a couple of good holes that if you’re in the fairway, you’re going to have a chance to make birdie on. Then the chip-in on 14 followed by a couple birdies and an eagle.”
World No. 1 Justin Rose and American Doug Ghim share second place with nine-under par 63s.
Rose’s effort is eye-catching given he has switched in the off-season and signing a lucrative contract to use Honma clus after so many years using TaylorMade.
“I’m really delighted the way it’s all settling in” said Rose.
“The driver, Honma was going to be very patient with me, there was no pressure to put it in play really until I was ready, but it’s been so quick off the clubface that I can’t leave that speed behind, to be honest with you, so that’s been good. Drove it really straight today.
“I am still just learning. Every club has a little bit of its own character, so I’m learning my misses with
it, I’m learning my shape. Comfortable with it and driving the ball really well.”
Woods round was a mix of five birdies and three bogeys and in his first regular PGA Tour event since capturing the 2018 Tour season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
And with Woods declaring it was good to get the juices flowing again from a long great, he was asked by www.golfbytourmiss.com if there was one shot where he really felt those juices.
“Yeah, the tee shot on one was nice because normally I haven’t really played that hole all that well,” said Woods.
“Joey (LaCava – caddy) was asking me going down the first fairway, what did you play this hole in the U.S. Open. I said I played 6 over in the first four rounds. I made par in the playoff, which was great.
“You know, I didn’t want to start off with a bogey on the first hole. I piped it down one. That’s a green-light 8-iron. I normally take a pretty aggressive line. I just dumped it in the center of the green and said, okay, let’s just start with a par. I happened to make a putt, which I almost did, it just hung on the lip. That’s great, but now let’s go to work.”
Woods effort was two shots fewer than when he teed-up 12 months ago and staring at the uncertainty in returning to competition full-time in some four years.
A year on and Woods, albeit suffering from a dose of the flu he’d picked-up from one of his children, was brimming with confidence and clearly targeting Tour victory No. 81 and not worried like a year ago if his back will stand-up to rigours of Tour competition.
“It will be a lot easier now I’ve got a competitive round under my belt,” he said.
“As I said, the first hole was nice, I drove it right down the middle of the fairway. Normally that’s a pretty
good green light situation with an 8-iron. I chickened out, I don’t want to make bogey on the
very first hole here, so I dumped it to the center of the green.
“As I get more comfortable, I’ll fire at more flags and start being a little bit more aggressive and start feeling a little bit more comfortable with the game and being back competing again.”
