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Bay Hill First Round: Woods Surges Into Contention

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 27, 2009

ORLANDO - In their own way, Jason Gore and Tiger Woods changed their fortunes Thursday at Bay Hill.

Gore was not seeing any results from an overhaul to his swing until he ran off three birdies over the final four holes for a 5-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods was in the water, in the trees and in a foul mood until he had eight consecutive one-putts - including four straight birdies - that put him in a good frame of mind with a 68 on a course where he has won five times as a pro.

"I was not hitting it well, and I had to scramble and grind it out and manage to score," Woods said. He managed just fine, taking only 24 putts after ranking 74th in putting out of 79 players at Doral two weeks ago.

Tim Herron, who won Bay Hill in a playoff 10 years ago, and Jeff Overton had a 66, while the group at 67 included the ever-present Nick Watney and Mark Wilson.

LPGA: South Korea's In-Kyung Kim shot a 4-under 68 to take the first-round lead in the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International, while two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa (72) and Michelle Wie (73) struggled in windy conditions.

Kim had a one-stroke lead over countrywomen Jiyai Shin, Imbee Park and Eun-Hee Ji, American Cristie Kerr and Norway's Suzann Pettersen. Kerr eagled the final hole.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Colin Montgomerie celebrated his 500th European Tour event with a 5-under 67, leaving the Scottish star a stroke behind countryman Chris Doak after the first round of the Andalucia Open at Seville, Spain.

BALLESTEROS TO HAVE NEW CHEMO SESSION: Seve Ballesteros will undergo a fourth round of chemotherapy as he continues treatment of a cancerous brain tumor.

Ballesteros said Thursday that blood tests from his third round of chemotherapy showed he could continue with the treatment, with the next round scheduled to begin Saturday.

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