Golf

Poor finish costs Woods chance at lead

By BOB HARIG
Published March 19, 2005

ORLANDO - Tiger Woods' day ended before noon Friday, and he knew there was no chance for it to continue. That bad news is he is in for a long Saturday.

Woods appeared headed for a share of the first-round lead before he made bogeys at the 16th and 17th holes.

He needed to make an 8-foot par putt at the 18th to avoid three straight bogeys and shoot a 1-under-par 71.

He begins his second round this morning at 7:45 trailing clubhouse leaders Charles Howell and Stephen Ames by four strokes.

And yet Woods did not seem concerned.

"The guys won't be tearing the place apart," said Woods, the No. 1-ranked player in the world who has two PGA Tour victories this year.

"The greens are really slow, really grainy. If you drive the ball in the rough, you're in a world of hurt."

FIGHTING BACK: Ernie Els' disposition was much better after the way he finished his first round.

Things weren't going well when he three-putted the par-5 12th to go 2 over par. But he settled down and played the final five holes in 3 under par for 71.

"I hit every green except for 18 and gave myself a lot of chances and started making putts," said Els, who trails Howell and Ames by four shots with his entire second round to play.

"I couldn't make any putts until the last couple of holes, so I've got to be pleased with that."

ON TOP FOR A WHILE: Joe Ogilvie, who lost in a playoff Sunday at the Honda Classic, ended up being the first-round leader with a 68.

It was the second time this year he led after the opening round, also doing so at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, where he wound up second behind Justin Leonard.

AROUND BAY HILL: The first round stroke average of 74.39, 2.39 over par, is the second-highest for a first round this year on the tour. It trails only the FBR Open in Arizona, where the average of 74.145 was 3.145 over par on a par-71 course. ... First-round play was not completed until 3:01 p.m. Friday. The second round had begun at 1:45 p.m.

[Last modified March 19, 2005, 01:02:12]