Story highlights
Tiger Woods cards a 73 on day one of the Frys.com Open
14-time major winner Woods says putting form worst of his career
American quartet share first-round lead on four-under-par
Former world number one Tiger Woods described his opening round at the Frys.com Open as “probably one of the worst putting rounds I’ve ever had” after carding a 73 to finish day one tied for 86th position.
Woods, a 14-time major winner, is two-over-par, six-shots off the leaders and in danger of missing the cut at the California event where he has made his PGA Tour comeback after an injury layoff.
The 35-year-old has not won a tournament since the Australian Masters in November 2009 and slipped out of the top 50 of the world rankings for the first time in 15 years earlier this week.
“I can’t putt the ball any worse than I did today,” Woods, who has spent a record 623 weeks at the top of the world rankings during his career, told the PGA Tour’s official website.
Woods drops out of golf’s top 50
“I just had a hard time hitting my stroke, and then I started altering it. I started losing confidence in it because I wasn’t hitting my line. So it was just a downward spiral.”
Woods has moved away from the putter he won all of his majors with over 11 years between 1997 and 2008, with the current world No. 51 admitting the change had a negative impact on his performance.
“It was all over the place,” Woods said of the club in question. “I think I’m going to go put some tape on it and see if maybe a little bit more mass. It’s always worked in the past.”
Amateur Patrick Cantlay was playing alongside Woods, with the 19-year-old’s form in stark contrast to that of his illustrious partner as he carded a 69 to sit tied for 11th on two-under.
Cantlay, who is the world’s top-ranked amateur, seemed unfazed by taking to the course with Woods, having been paired with him at a Pro-Am earlier this week, and when asked if he felt any extra pressure said: “Same nerves as any time.
“You have nerves on the first tee, at least I do. And I settled down there and had a bunch of fun. I didn’t have any expectations for what he was going to do or what anybody else was going to do except for myself.”
American quartet Brendan Steele, Briny Baird, Garrett Willis and Matt Bettencourt currently top the leaderboard, tied on four-under after opening rounds of 67.
Six players are one shot further back, including four Australians, Matt Jones, Steven Bowditch, Rod Pampling and Aron Price, Canada’s Chris Baryla and American Tory Matteson.
Cantlay is one of 14 players on two-under, with three-time major winner Ernie Els of South Africa and Kevin Na, who last week claimed his first PGA Tour title, also carding first rounds of 69.
