Tiger Woods looks at bogeys as a motivator.
Although he stayed close to Ernie Els early in the first round of the PGA Grand Slam on Monday, Woods couldn't seem to get untracked until he bogeyed the Poipu Bay Resort's 384-yard 13th hole.The near-miraculous recovery turned out to be the impetus he needed to propel him into the lead heading into today's final 18 holes.
Woods shot a record-tying 6-under-par 66 that put him two strokes ahead of Els, the U.S. Open winner, in the exclusive 36-hole tournament reserved for winners of the four majors.
Davis Love III, the PGA Championship winner, trails the leader by five strokes at 71, while British Open champion Justin Leonard is a distant 11 strokes behind at 5-over 77.
Woods, the Masters champion, showing no ill-effects of a slight cold and a long flight from Japan, saw his second shot roll off the green and into the water.
That made him all the more determined.
After going back to his original spot 95 yards from the hole, he pulled out a pitching wedge and knocked the ball within 12 feet of the cup. From there, he rolled in the putt for his only bogey.
"I used a sand wedge, and I thought I hit a good shot," Woods said of his play on the par 4. "I then went to a pitching wedge and hit it to within 12 feet.
"If I made the putt, I felt it would get me going. I played well from there."
Els was still ahead by two strokes at that point, but on the par-5 14th, Woods cranked up his driver for 343 yards, then placed his 7-iron within 8 feet, from where he made an eagle putt.