Tiger jumps out to promising start at Firestone

Tiger Woods got the start he wanted Thursday in the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

Sure, the tournament’s defending champion squandered a few shots. But Woods also carded six birdies en route to a 2-under 68 that left him tied for ninth and four strokes behind leader Marc Leishman.

“Very pleased today,” Woods said. “I hit a lot of good shots. It was a good, solid day.”

It didn’t begin that way. A late starter with Martin Kaymer, Tiger piped a good drive at the par-4 first, then knocked his second shot just inside 10 feet. However, he three-putted for a bogey.

Playing in warm conditions with only a gentle breeze blowing, Woods rebounded with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 second, where he hit his drive way left but was fortunate to have an opening. Tiger sliced a 5-wood around the trees and reached the green to set up an eagle putt.

Following a par at the third hole, Woods hit a nice drive at the par-4 fourth, but spun his approach shot off the front of the green, rolling down a hill. From there, he chipped about 12 feet past the hole and two-putted for a bogey.

Once again, Tiger regained the dropped shot quickly. He hit a beautiful tee shot on the par-3 fifth to within two feet of the cup and tapped in for a birdie.

Woods made it two in a row with an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-4 sixth. After a par at the par-3 seventh, Tiger added another birdie at the par-4 eighth, where he flagged his second shot to close range.

But Woods made a mess of the par-4 ninth. He blocked his drive into the right trees and tried to punch out. But Tiger hit another tree, scooted his third shot over the green, then chipped to 15 feet and missed the bogey putt to make the turn in even-par 35.

Tiger rallied, hitting a nice approach to the par-4 10th and sunk the six-foot birdie putt. He gave himself good birdie chances at the next two holes but couldn’t convert. Woods would then lip out a chip shot at the par-4 13th, settling for his third-straight par.

Woods made another good par-save at the par-4 14th — where his approach backed off the front of the green — then missed a 15-foot birdie try at the par-3 15th. At the par-5 16th, Tiger buried a 20-foot birdie putt to get back to 2-under for the round.

Woods two-putted from long range for par at the par-4 17th, then made a nice up-and-down save at the par-4 18th — where his second shot hit Kaymer’s ball — to shoot 2-under 33 on the back nine.

Tiger played the two par-5’s in 2-under, but was more proud of the way he responded after his two bogeys and the double.

“To go 3-for-3 on bounce-backs, that was good,” he said.

Woods, competing in only his third tournament since undergoing back surgery on March 31, felt good about the progress he has made.

“This is only my seventh round back,” Tiger said. “I still have to get into the flow of things. I’m starting to get my feel back.”

The eight-time WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion believes he is starting to feel more comfortable on the golf course.

“I just need to get reps,” he said. “It takes time. It’s been building.”

Tiger’s gameplan Friday is for more of the same.

“I have to keep making birdies,” Woods said. “It’s soft out here. It’s gettable.”

Woods starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on the 10th tee with Kaymer.