AKRON, Ohio — Tiger Woods appeared to face a big test Thursday in his return to golf.
It was a 3-wood around the trees on the 658-yard 16th hole at Firestone that required him to go at it hard, cut short his backswing to produce a sharp fade, then let the momentum of his motion carry his body forward with an awkward step. Only it didn’t feel like that big of a deal to Woods.
“I was just trying to hit a cut,” he said. “I didn’t feel any problem with that.”
His only concern in the Bridgestone Invitational was that he hit the ball too flush and too far. He still managed three birdies, including a 30-foot putt on the 16th hole, that carried him to a 2-under-par 68 and sent a strong statement that his leg was as healthy as he thought. His game wasn’t half bad, either.
“It feels great,” Woods said. “As anybody who’s been off and who’s been injured, first time back it’s a little nervous to see what happens. But my practice sessions were good, so there’s no reason why I should be worried out there. I went out there and let it go, let it rip and see what happens.”
His ex-caddie saw some familiar golf at Firestone too.
Steve Williams, now working for Adam Scott after Woods fired him two weeks ago, watched Scott play flawlessly in matching his career- low round on the PGA Tour with a 62 that gave the Australian a one-shot lead over Jason Day.
The Associated Press
