CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tiger Woods delivered a few memorable shots of his own Thursday at Quail Hollow on a pleasant day that produced birdies and eagles and plenty of excitement. It’s just not what he had in mind.
He hit a tee shot into the water on the par-3 17th that produced little reaction except to hold out his hand for another ball. He hit his next tee shot into the water and had to scramble for bogey.
And he wound up with a 2-over-par 74 that left him nine shots behind Bo Van Pelt and ended his streak of 21 straight rounds at par or better.
“I hit a bunch of balls left, I hit a bunch of balls right, hit a few down the middle,” Woods said. “And that was about it.”
Masters champion Phil Mickelson had a severe stomach ailment that forced him to withdraw from the pro-am Wednesday, and he started feeling it when he climbed the steep hill to the 15th green. He two-putted for birdie to reach 4-under for his round, only to three-putt from the fringe on the 17th and made another bogey from the trees on the 18th to finish at 70.
“I may have run out of energy there toward the end, but I hit some good shots and was able to shoot a decent round,” Mickelson said.
Kenny Perry was second after a 66, with Camilo Villegas a stroke back in third.
It was Woods’ highest opening round at a regular PGA Tour event since he shot 75 at The Players Championship three years ago. Woods kept his cool on the golf course, but he was in no mood to find a fix when his round was complete.
“I’m not going to the range today,” he said. “Hell with it.”
Miyazato leads after 63
MORELIA, Mexico — Ai Miyazato shot a 10-under 63 to take the first-round lead in the Tres Marias Championship.
Spanish rookie Azahara Munoz opened with a 65, and Lorena Ochoa, who will retire after the tournament, matched Michelle Wie with a 66.
Gonzalez atop leaderboard
SEVILLE, Spain — Ricardo Gonzalez fired a 7-under 65 for a one-stroke lead over Paul Waring after the first round of the Open De España.
