Tiger Woods showed flashes of the 15-time major champion amid some struggles in his first competitive round of golf in a year.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods knows the challenges he faces, understands the physical limitations that will hamper him, realizes that this week at the PNC Championship is just one small step — however painful — on his way back from a serious car crash. All of that perspective served him well as he played his first competitive round of golf in a year in what is considered an offseason family event for major champions. Playing with his son, Charlie, for the second straight year — « Charlie’s going to be carrying you guys I guess, » Justin Thomas quipped on the first hole — Woods showed flashes of the 15-time major champion but plenty of reminders of the long journey he faces. « It’s frustrating when I don’t hit the ball as far as I know that I can and the shots that I see don’t come off the way I want, » Woods said after he and Charlie combined for a scramble score of 10-under-par 62 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. « By the old numbers, I don’t have endurance. I haven’t played. This is, what, my fourth, [fifth] round of the entire year. I don’t have any golf endurance. « It’s tiring out there, so it was a slow day. But that’s something that — if I want to compete out here at the [PGA] Tour level — I’m going to have to get the endurance back and hit thousands upon thousands of golf balls. Just takes time. » Woods, who turns 46 on Dec.30, was in no way upset or discouraged. If anything, he appeared to enjoy the day: the needling with Thomas and his dad, Mike; the applause from spectators who were keen to welcome him back.
