Golf-Cappelen grabs lead, Woods three back at Farmers Insurance Open


Reuters | Updated: 24-01-2020 05:03 IST | Created: 24-01-2020 04:36 IST
Golf-Cappelen grabs lead, Woods three back at Farmers Insurance Open

Sebastian Cappelen grabbed the early lead in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open on Thursday while Tiger Woods gave a solid display in his first start of the year as he guns for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour victory.

The 29-year-old Dane got hot early, mixing five birdies and a bogey on the front nine and added three more birdies and one bogey on the back nine at Torrey Pines. Cappelen was six-under-par heading into his final hole, one stroke clear of six players including world number two and tournament favorite Rory McIlroy, who had seven birdies.

But all the attention was on Woods, who was trailed by a large crowd as he made his way around the oceanside course on a sun-soaked day that saw parasailers floating by before cool, thick fog moved in during the afternoon. Woods, playing alongside world number three Jon Rahm and promising newcomer Collin Morikawa, looked rusty at the outset and managed just an even-par 36 through his first nine holes behind two birdies and two bogeys.

But he gained momentum and capped his day with a birdie for a round of three-under-par 69, three off the pace. "Overall I'm pleased to get something in the red," said Woods, who admitted that controlling his nerves was a challenge when he first teed off on Thursday.

"I was definitely feeling the adrenaline," he added. "I missed the competition and I was trying to keep everything as calm as a possibly could. "I didn't do a very good job of that starting out, made a quick bogey early but felt like I fought back."

The 44-year-old American will move to the more challenging, recently renovated South Course on Friday as he tries to break Sam Snead's record of 82 PGA Tour victories. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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