September 20, 2018
Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
As his golf ball exploded off the tee at the opening hole of East Lake, Tiger Woods had commenced his first round at the TOUR Championship since 2013. It had been a while since Tiger had walked down the hilly fairways of East Lake. And some things had changed, like the fact that East Lake had reversed it’s front and back nines for the TOUR Championship.
“I’m still thinking it’s the front nine,” laughs Woods. “When you say 14 and 15, I’m thinking it’s 5 and 6. I’ve got to think about it just a fraction there.”
But what hasn’t changed is the fact Tiger likes this golf course and continues to have success, despite his prolonged absence. He would shoot an opening round 65, putting him atop the leaderboard at the TOUR Championship, along with co-patriot Rickie Fowler. From ball striking to putting, Woods’ game was firing on all cylinders, as he converted birdie opportunities on a lightning-quick golf course.
“I felt in control today. I had a lot of control over my shots. In the beginning, I had trouble figuring out the speed of these fast greens. I missed pretty well every putt through the hole. But once I figured out the pace of these things, it was all good.”
Tiger Woods Bounces Back After Opening Bogey
The crowds of East Lake held their breath with doubt and skepticism after Tiger’s first hole. He would three-putt after missing a six-foot par attempt to drop a shot. Was this going to be a tough tournament for Woods or would he right the ship and bounce back?
And did he ever right the ship. He would birdie holes five and six and then shoot three-under on the back 9. His round would be capped off by making a 28-foot putt for eagle, putting his exclamation point atop the leaderboard.
“18 was nice,” says Woods. “I hammered that drive up the left side, and it was nice to see it not in the rough. After a solid 5-wood, I had a good look at eagle. It took forever for that putt to start breaking. But once it snagged it, it was going straight right into the cup.”
Woods finished sixth in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. He only missed four fairways and four greens in regulation all afternoon. This is the recipe for success at East Lake, a course that demands golfers to hit the ball in the fairway.
“I played well today. More than anything, I missed it all on the correct sides. Even the fairways I missed, all were on the correct sides. I had nice angles. The shots I missed were on the greens with all beautiful angles. It was a solid day.”
Fowler Sits with Woods After 5-Under 65
Tiger Woods isn’t alone at the top of the TOUR Championship leaderboard. Rickie Fowler had a solid round, shooting a 5-under 65 with six birdies on the card. At the PGA Championship, Fowler could barely swing a golf club due to an oblique injury, forcing him to sit out the first two legs of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. In his last five rounds since coming back from injury, he has shot all rounds in the 60’s. It is safe to say Fowler is back to playing at a high level.
“I wasn’t ready to swing a golf club for two and a half weeks,” says Fowler. “I was happy with how we were able to manage and heal from the injury. It’s paid off because I’ve played some solid golf since the time off.”
Fowler will be paired with Woods tomorrow in the final group. They have played in the past and the young American is ready for the challenge to contend with the Big Cat.
“I definitely am in a lot better position now than I was in the early part of my career. There is a lot more comfort level that you have to get used to playing alongside him, especially in the final group. But I always relish the opportunity to play with Tiger. I hope he continues to play well and it’s better for the tournament to have him at the top of the leaderboard.”
But as Tiger reflects on his opening round at East Lake, there is an overwhelming feeling of appreciation and gratitude for playing so well. From appreciating the thunderous crowd support to signing autographs with fans after the round, Tiger is enjoying the simple moments on the golf course and appreciating those who have adored him his whole career.
“The last couple months have been fantastic,” says Woods. “The people have been so appreciative and supportive. I’ve been gone for a while and to come back and hear fans say that this is the first time I’ve come to this tournament in five years, it means a lot. At the beginning of the year, I didn’t have much game. Now, I’ve got a chance to win this golf tournament. It’s a special feeling.”
