Tiger Woods has his game headed in the right direction for the new year.
He opened his season Thursday with a bogey-free round of 3-under 69 in the Farmers Insurance Open and was five shots off the lead. Woods failed to birdie any of the par 5s on the North Course, something he mentioned more than a few times when breaking down the day with news crews at the end of the round.
“It could have been a lot better if I took care of the par 5s a little bit more, but obviously I didn't do that,” Woods said. “So hopefully on the South course I can take care of the par 5s and put together a little bit better round.
The crosswinds also gave him a little trouble. However, the weather was great, good for working on his farmer tan, and the crowds were great, Woods said.
South Korean rookie Sunghoon Kang birdied his last two holes for a 64. The best score on the South Course was 67 by John Daly. Daly is the last player to win at Torrey Pines when Woods was in the field.
The North Course is not the pushover it has been in past years, with thicker rough than the South and narrow fairways. Woods drove the ball decently, but he didn't hit a fairway on the par 5s and lost four good birdie chances.
