THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., 11 December 2004 — Colin Montgomerie, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods, the tournament host, each posted rounds of four-under-par 67 yesterday to share the lead after one round of the Target World Challenge.
Fred Couples carded a three-under-par 68 and shares fourth place with European Ryder Cuppers Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez. Chris DiMarco, who at one point was six-under par, and Jay Haas are one stroke further back at minus-two.
Woods opened with a birdie at the par-four first, but tripped to a bogey at the next at Sherwood Country Club. He then converted back-to-back birdies from the par-four fourth.
The world No. 2 cruised to the back nine with four straight pars before draining a birdie putt at the par-four 10th to get to three-under.
Woods stumbled to his second bogey at the par-three 12th, but battled right back with a two-putt birdie at the par-five 13th to get back to three-under. He then dropped in a 15-foot birdie putt at 17 to grab a share of the lead.
“I played alright today. I wouldn’t say I played great,” said Woods, who won here in 2001 and is a three-time runner-up. “I hit a couple of bad shots here and there, but I hit it close enough where I made enough birdies, but also felt like I didn’t really putt well today.”
Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, got off to hot start with birdies at the second and third. He sank a birdie try at the par-four seventh and again came right back to birdie the next to move to four-under.
The 34-year-old stumbled to a bogey at the par-three 12th. For the third time, Furyk made consecutive birdies, this time from the par-five 16th to climb to five-under. He looked to be the overnight leader, but faltered to a bogey at the last after missing the green.
“The golf course is playing real wet out there. Guys could be pretty aggressive,” said Furyk, who is playing in this event for the third time. “So, it’s good to get out there and get off to a good start early and keep it going.”
Montgomerie began his round with a birdie at the second. He came back to birdie No. 4. The Scotsman birdied the par-four ninth to move to minus-three.
The 28-time winner on the European Tour ran home an five-foot eagle putt at the 16th to jump into the lead at five-under. However, his tee shot flew the green at the next and plugged into a steep slope.
After a drop, Montgomerie pitched back through the front edge of the green. He got up and down from there for bogey and a share of the first-round lead.
“I got to five-under which is good,” Monty said. “I hit a five-wood into about five feet at the 16th for eagle. And I made a big, silly mistake on the 17th. Four-under is okay though. Anytime you equal Tiger Woods, well, it’s okay.”
Chad Campbell, Stewart Cink and defending champion Davis Love III share ninth place at one-under-par 70. John Daly, Todd Hamilton and Kenny Perry are three strokes further back at plus-two.
World No. 1 Vijay Singh played the first four holes at minus-four, but struggled the rest of the way. He carded a three-over-par 74 and shared last place in the 16-player field with Stephen Ames.
Bradley Grabs Four-Shot Lead
In Melbourne, Australian Bradley Hughes exploded to a four-shot lead at the halfway stage in a bid for his third Australian Masters at Huntingdale here yesterday. Hughes, who won here in 1993 and 1998, carded rounds of 64 and 66 for 14-under 130 to lead defending champion Robert Allenby. Hughes resumed his rain-interrupted round early yesterday at the 12th hole and knocked in another birdie putt as he attempts to win the home-town tournament he has not returned to for six years.
At 10 under par 134 Allenby was one ahead of new Australian Open and PGA champion Peter Lonard and local David McKenzie.
Randhawa Sets Pace: Volvo Masters
In Kuala Lumpur, India’s Jyoti Randhawa was two strokes clear of the pack at the $ 550,000 Volvo Masters of Asia yesterday despite a late wobble en route to a two-under-par 70 in the second round.
The former Asian number one, who began his campaign with a superb 63 on Thursday, threatened to extend his overnight four-shot advantage at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club but tripped up on the inward nine with three bogeys and a birdie.
China’s Liang Wen-chong, searching for his first Asian Tour win in the season’s finale, and Taiwan veteran Wang Ter-chang narrowed Randhawa’s lead with rounds of 67 and 66. respectively to share second place.
Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng was tied fourth after adding a 69 to his opening 68 to trail the leader by four strokes.
“I started well but on the back nine I made some indecisions. There was a lack of concentration and I hit some poor shots,” said Randhawa, who has a two-day total of 11-under-par 133.
“But anytime you’re leading into the weekend is an advantage. I’ll try to play the way that I did yesterday. I just have to go out there and play my own game. There are two more rounds and anything can happen.”
The Indian stalwart, third on the Order of Merit but is still winless this season, started strongly with birdies on the first, third, fourth and seventh holes.
But he lost momentum after sending a tee shot into trees on the 11th which led to a bogey. He got a birdie back on 12 but hit a poor approach on 15 for bogey and three putted 17 for his third bogey of the day. He later missed a five-foot birdie chance at the last hole.
“I was so in control in the first round, but today I didn’t get it together mentally. It could have easily been a 68 but that’s golf. I made mistakes and I paid for them. Good that I’m under par though,” he said.
