Woods: Out of form at a charity event in Ireland
In a celebrity pro-am, Tiger Woods looked just as out of form as he did on the PGA Tour. On Monday, the world’s No. 1 golfer arrived in Ireland just hours after his 46th-place finish at the AT&T National in Pennsylvania. Since revelations of his extramarital affairs surfaced last year, the unranked event in County Limerick featuring Hollywood celebrities and Irish billionaires was his first overseas event.
Woods‘ opening round at the 7,453-yard, par-72 Adare Manor Golf Resort was often dreadful, while more than 40,000 Irish golf fans offered him a friendly and forgiving welcome. He managed a lone birdie on the 17th, bogeyed six holes and double-bogeyed the seventh hole.
He followed that up on the 18th, by gamely trying to reach the green, a five-par 548-yard hole on the far side of the River Maigue. For a final bogey, his risky second shot fell short into the riverside reeds, the third time he had found water in his round.
Showing only mild frustration at off-target shot, Woods seemed to take his lackluster play in his stride. Actors Michael Douglas, Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Aidan Quinn, Kyle MacLachlan and Peter Gallagher; English Premier League football coaches Harry Redknapp and Martin O’Neill; and Irish boyband Westlife, were this year’s celebrity golfers. Per trio, amateurs taking part, typically donated $155,000 and were matched to each professional golfer by lottery.
Jim Furyk and John Cook of the United States, Peter Hanson of Sweden and Rory Sabbatini of South Africa were in a four-way tie for the lead, each 1-under, at the end of Monday’s first round. In the field of 54 pros, Woods trailed was tied for 48th place. The amateurs’ scores were not recorded.
With no major celebrity teammates, Woods was matched up and his round took six hours to complete. Woods offered silver-haired Swiss banker Bernard Droux with compliments after his precise approach shots, solid putts, and consistent performance. Repeatedly striking the ball too softly or hooking putts wide, Woods, by contrast, struggled with his short game. On the par-5, 551-yard 12th, he accidentally struck a spectator with his tee shot. The spectator wasn’t seriously hurt.
