{"id":53418,"date":"2018-02-23T01:57:13","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T01:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=53418"},"modified":"2018-02-23T02:42:17","modified_gmt":"2018-02-23T02:42:17","slug":"tiger-woods-fires-even-par-70-honda-classic-put-self-early-contention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=53418","title":{"rendered":"Tiger Woods fires even-par 70 at Honda Classic to put self in early contention"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tiger Woods fired an even-par 70 in the opening round of the Honda Classic, putting him in early contention at PGA National.<\/span><\/p>\n

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At a difficult course on a windy day in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Woods avoided trouble most of the round. He made a double bogey but just one bogey, and carded three birdies in his round of 70. Coming off a missed cut at the Genesis Open that included a demoralizing slide late, this is just the calm round Woods was looking for.<\/p>\n

The 42-year-old was three off the lead and tied for 24th when he reached the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

The day actually could’ve been better, too. Woods got off to a strong start, rolling in a 20-footer for birdie at the 11th (his second) to move to 1 under. When he stuffed a wedge to 5 feet and birdied the 13th, he was tied for the lead at 2 under.<\/p>\n

A bogey at the 16th relegated him to a 1-under 34 going out, but he was still cruising just fine until the par-5 third.<\/p>\n

His third shot there found a greenside bunker left. Short-sided, Woods blasted out short into the rough and belied from there inside 4 feet. But he missed the remainder for bogey, and actually had to bury a comebacker outside 5 feet for double bogey. He did just that, but the double on a par 5 moved him from 1 under to 1 over and threatened to sink his round.<\/p>\n

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But Woods came right back. He stuffed another wedge at the fourth and drained a 6-footer for birdie to move back to even par. He then parred his final five holes to shoot 70.<\/p>\n

For Woods, there was certainly plenty of promise on this day. After a rough time putting at Riviera, his flatstick was certainly back on track at PGA National. His work around the greens continues to look exemplary, too.<\/p>\n

His approach play is still a work in progress, as Woods had some misses and left himself in some bad spots after a couple of them, but overall, he looks improved there.<\/p>\n

Adv<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n