ORLANDO, FLA. (AP) - Justin Rose started out as another guy in Tiger Woods’ group Thursday at Bay Hill. He wound up in the lead.
Rose put on a clinic with the putter and ran off four straight birdies late in his round for a 7-under 65, giving him a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Woods had two sloppy bogeys from greenside bunkers and didn’t hit it as well as he did when he won Doral two weeks ago. But he made enough key par saves and manhandled the par 5s to scratch out a 69, a reasonable start as he tries to win Bay Hill for the eighth time and return to No. 1 in the world.
John Huh had a chance to catch Rose late in the afternoon, but needing a birdie on the final hole, he found a fairway bunker on No. 9 and took bogey for a 67. John Rollins and Brad Fritsch were at 68.
Also in the group at 69 with Woods were Ryo Ishikawa of Japan, Nick Watney, Sean O’Hair and Bill Haas, who bogeyed his last two holes.
Brandt Snedeker, playing for the first time in five weeks because of a rib injury, took triple bogey on his 17th hole and had a 76.
KIA CLASSIC
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) _ Jane Park shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Caroline Hedwall and Karrie Webb after the first round of the Kia Classic.
Park, who lives in Rancho Cucamonga and went to UCLA, started on No. 10 and made the turn in 2 under at Aviara. After a par on No. 1, she birdied four of the next five holes.
Stacy Lewis, playing her first round since taking over the No. 1 spot in the world from Yani Tseng, was four shots back after a 70. She is trying to win her third straight tournament.
Tseng, the Kia Classic winner last year, was disqualified after oversleeping and missing her pro-am tee time Wednesday.
MALAYSIAN OPEN
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) _ Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat shot a 7-under 65 to take the lead in the Malaysian Open lead before thunderstorms forced the suspension of the first round.
Half the field was still on the course.
Edoardo Molinari, Gregory Bourdy and Anders Hansen shot 66, and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson also was 6 under through 10 holes when play was stopped at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
Third-ranked Luke Donald opened with a 74. The event is sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.
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