DUBAI, 1 February 2008 — An imperious Tiger Woods, who won the Buick Invitational in California by eight shots on Sunday, charged into a two-stroke lead after the Dubai Desert Classic first round yesterday.
The world No. 1 made his intentions clear from the start when he chipped up to an inch from the cup at the 10th hole, his first, for a birdie four that paved the way for a seven-under 65 on a hot, sunny day at the Emirates Golf Club.
“I am definitely playing better than last week,” Woods told reporters. “I have had two good days of practice here and started to hit the ball a lot better.
“I made a lot of putts last week. I didn’t particularly drive it very well and my iron game was just alright but on those bumpy greens (at Torrey Pines) for some reason I made a bunch of putts.” Leading a chasing posse on 67 was German youngster Martin Kaymer, winner of the Abu Dhabi Championship two weeks ago, and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez who recorded a hole-in-one.
Britons Simon Dyson and Graeme McDowell, India duo Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, Swede Pelle Edberg, Frenchman Thomas Levet, Ireland’s Gary Murphy, South African Andrew McLardy and Australian Scott Hend were also five under.
The 44-year-old Jimenez used a 6-iron to ace the 186-yard, par-3 seventh.
The former Ryder Cup player, who also started on the 10th, was four under for his last five holes after adding to his ace with birdies at the fifth and ninth.
Three-times champion Ernie Els was in another big group on 68 along with holder Henrik Stenson of Sweden, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Britain’s David Howell.
Woods provided an ominous early warning to his rivals by racing to the turn in 34, following his excellent chip at the 10th by rolling in an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th and birdieing the par-5 18th after reaching the green in two.
The 32-year-old American made further inroads on par when he sank a 20-foot putt at the first before striking a pinpoint 7-iron to two feet at the fourth.
Woods, who won here two years ago, completed his round with two more successful birdie putts of eight feet at the seventh and eighth. The 13-times major champion felt his first-round score could have been even better.
“I definitely missed a few (putts) today,” said Woods. “I had a couple of good opportunities and just kind of ran them over the edge.
“But overall I couldn’t ask for a better start. I hit the ball a lot more clean today and shaped the ball better.” Eight-times European No. 1 Colin Montgomerie, partnering Woods and Swede Niclas Fasth, stayed in close touch with the world number one until a late collapse meant he had to settle for a 72.
Montgomerie took a six at the par-4 sixth after finding an unplayable lie before chalking up his second double-bogey in four holes after hitting his ball into the water at the last. Ryder Cup team mate Darren Clarke also slumped to an ugly nine at the 18th as he went round in 74, two over.
Ochoa Aims to Dominate Women’s Golf Like Sorenstam
In Singapore, top-ranked Lorena Ochoa said yesterday she is aiming to dominate women’s golf the way that former world No. 1 Annika Sorenstam did before she was unseated.
“It is amazing what Annika did but I would like to do that, to dominate the game and be number one for a long time,”
Ochoa said in a telephone interview with reporters in Singapore. “I would love to retire as No. 1.” Ochoa took only five years on the LPGA Tour to establish her reign, replacing Sorenstam of Sweden at No. 1 in the women’s world ranking in April last year.
Sorenstam has 84 career victories and won more than 41 percent of her starts between 2001 and 2005, but suffered a winless season last year hampered by neck and back injuries. Ochoa captured her first major championship at last year’s Women’s British Open, making history as the first female to win a professional event at St. Andrews. With a fearless shot that defines her style, the Mexican capped off last year by winning the season-ending ADT Championship to become the first LPGA Tour player to top $4 million in one season.
Ochoa will begin her year at the HSBC Women’s Champions, a new US LPGA Tour-sanctioned stroke play tournament starting Feb. 28 at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
With a $2 million purse and $300,000 top prize, the tournament will be the richest women’s golf event in Asia.
US women’s tour winners this year will qualify for the event along with the top 30 players in the world rankings on Dec. 31, major champions in the last three years and winners of select tournaments, including the Japan Women’s Open and 2008 Australian Women’s Open.
Also competing for the winner’s trophy will be Norwegian Suzann Pettersen — the world No.2 — and Paula Creamer of the United States, who has four LPGA victories.
Ochoa acknowledged that being at the top has brought more pressure, but she was trying to stay positive.
“I don’t have as much free time as I used to have. I have to do many things for my sponsors and all the practicing time I need,”
Ochoa said. “I want to work on my short game, my putting. I am going to improve my practice routine every week and just play one tournament at a time.”
US Captain Changes Ryder Cup Format Back to Alternate Shot
Meantime, US captain Paul Azinger is switching the Ryder Cup format with hopes of giving his team an edge, going back to alternate shot in the opening matches for the first time since 1999.
“I felt like the Americans had an edge in alternate shot,” Azinger said on Wednesday at the FBR Open in Scotsdale, Arizona. “And I think it’s partly responsible for why Europe has gotten off to a pretty hot start.” The Ryder Cup will be played from Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla, and the home captain gets to decide the order.
Alternate shot, or foursomes, had been used in the first sessions every year since 1981 until European captain Seve Ballesteros opened with better ball (fourballs) in 1997 at Valderrama. US captain Ben Crenshaw switched back to alternate shot in 1999 at Brookline, but the last three Ryder Cup matches have started with better ball.
