Akron, Ohio — Tiger Woods felt he played well enough to score in the mid-60s on Friday and take a comfortable lead into the weekend at the NEC Invitational. One hole changed everything but his outlook.
Tiger Woods hits from the rough on the 14th hole. Woods fired an even-par 70 Friday at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, to share the NEC Invitational lead with Luke Donald.
His 8-iron caromed off a tree and 20 yards to the right. From there, a 7-iron bounded through the green and into deep rough. When he had finished chopping up the 18th hole and taking a double bogey, Woods shot an even-par 70 that dropped him into a share of the lead with Luke Donald and invited a host of others into the tournament.
Donald made three straight birdies early in his round and shot 67, joining Woods at 4-under 136.
"I didn't shoot myself out of the tournament by making double, and that's a good thing," Woods said. "We've got a long way to go, and I'm playing well, so I just need to keep doing what I'm doing."
Vijay Singh was tied for the lead at 5 under until he dumped his third shot into the water on the 667-yard 16th hole and had to chip in with a fairway metal for a bogey. He spun his approach off the 17th green and failed to save par from 10 feet, and he nearly made it three straight bogeys until he escaped with a pitch to four feet on the last hole. He shot 71 and was one back at 3-under 137.
PGA champion Phil Mickelson had a 72 and was at 141, among 22 players within five shots of the lead.
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