Reuters
Greensboro, August 21: Erik Compton fired an eight-under-par 62 to grab a three-way share of the first round lead at the Wyndham Championship here Thursday.
While Tiger Woods fed off an ‘electric’ atmosphere to card his lowest score in two years on the PGA Tour, a six-under 64 that put him within two shots of the early first round lead.
Woods, making his first appearance at one of the PGA Tour’s oldest tournaments as part of a last-ditch effort to make the FedExCup play-offs, was greeted like a rock star by hundreds of fans when he arrived on his first tee under gloomy skies at Sedgefield Country Club.
And he did not disappoint the droves that turned up at the crack of dawn, promptly chipping in from 55 feet for birdie at his first hole, the par-four 10th.
Despite a bogey at the very next hole, Woods finally got his putter working to roll in six more birdies for his lowest round on tour since firing a 61 in the second round of the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational.
“It was electric, especially early,” Woods told reporters after draining a 10-footer to save par at his final hole. “My iron play was very solid but it was nice to finally get some (birdie) putts going in.”
Compton took advantage of ideal scoring conditions to join fellow Americans William McGirt and Tom Hoge atop the leaderboard.
Preferred lies and soft greens allowed players to attack the pins fearlessly on a day when 102 players broke par.
