Tiger has to rally for 70 at suspended Players

PONTE VEDRA BEACH: Tiger Woods was nowhere near his brilliant best, but he did enough to stay in touch with the leaders after his first round at the US$6.5 million Players Championship yesterday.

Woods, the 2001 champion, dug himself a hole with two early bogeys, but as usual he was able to tunnel his way out and post a par 72 on the demanding Sawgrass TPC course.

“I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts,” said Woods, who was four strokes behind leaders Skip Kendall, Jay Haas, Rocco Mediate, Bob Tway and Kevin Sutherland on a day when nearly half the field failed to complete the round due to two weather delays. Kendall, Haas, Mediate and Tway carded 68s, while Sutherland had two holes left when play was halted.