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Sports

Saturday August 29, 2009

Garcia tied for first-round lead, Woods five behind

JERSEY CITY (New Jersey): Spain’s Sergio Garcia fired a six-under 65 on Thursday to share the lead after the first round of The Barclays Classic, the first event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs.

Americans Paul Goydos and Steve Marino joined the world number seven atop the board, while Charley Hoffman bogeyed his final hole to fall a shot behind.

Hoffman shared fourth place on 66 along with Webb Simpson, Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson and Heath Slocum.

World number one Tiger Woods notched a one-under 70 that left him tied for 27th.

What a view: Tiger Woods putting on the second hole during the first round of The Barclays Classic on Thursday. — Reuters

He teed off on 10, and nabbed a birdie at 13. He picked up another stroke at the second, but dropped a shot at seven.

Garcia also started on 10, opening with three pars before notching three birdies in four holes from the 13th.

Another birdie on 18 saw him make the turn four-under, and he picked up another shot at the third, where he landed his approach within five feet of the pin.

He drained a four-footer for birdie on seven, followed by another birdie at the eighth to seize the lead at seven-under.

A bogey at his last, where he was in the right rough and then short of the green cost, cost him the outright lead.

“Even though the greens are soft, I didn’t expect to see three 65s out there,” Garcia admitted. “It is a good, solid course with small greens. I’ve always liked that kind of golf. It reminds me a little bit of Valderrama.

“If you play decent, you’re going to have a chance at making birdies.”

Goydos had set the target with an early round that featured seven birdies and one bogey.

“Obviously, I’m very happy. I putted extremely well,” Goydos said. “I felt like I had a good day.”

Marino had eight birdies and two bogeys, and he, too, bogeyed his last, 18, to settle for a share of the lead.

“I putted real well. I made almost every putt that you think that you should make, and I drove the ball pretty well,” Marino said. “I hit a couple of errant tee balls and other than that, it seemed like I was in the fairway on every hole. That’s the most important thing out here.”

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, England’s Ian Poulter and David Toms all posted 67s.

Australians Robert Allenby and Rod Pampling and last week’s winner Ryan Moore were among a group of players tied on 68.

Defending champion Vijay Singh of Fiji struggled to a four-over 75 that included two double bogeys. — AFP


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