Tiger Woods (76) struggles with wind

The resumed first round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship didn't go much better for Tiger Woods on Friday morning than it had a day earlier.

Woods shot a 76, his highest score ever at Doral, although the golf course -- including all 18 greens -- is substantially different than the one he's won on four times, including his 2013 victory here.


Still, in 44 rounds over the famed Trump National Doral course, Woods had been over par just three times prior to Friday's completion of the first round.

Woods, who withdrew from the Honda Classic on Sunday with back spasms, did not speak afterwards, as the second round was due to begin less than 45 minutes after he finished. He is eight strokes back of leader Patrick Reed after the first round.

But Henrik Stenson, who played with Woods and will again on Friday afternoon, said the conditions played a role. The wind kicked up and many players struggled. Adam Scott, also in the group, shot 75.

"It was a lot more wind this morning than we expected,'' said Stenson, who had a 73. "It was blowing enough out there for sure. I thought we might get a little bit of a good run there in the morning, but that was not the case. There were a couple of really tough holes out there. The margin error is small obviously. If you miss it in the wrong place, you'll be unable to stop it.

"Like Tiger, he hit two good shots on 14 and he walked away with a double. With greens like this (sloped) and it just trickles over into the bunker. You need to be so precise. You need to land it on a dime really. And if that doesn't work, the ball is back at your feet. It's a test.''

It was a wild ride for Woods, who hit just five fairways and 10 greens. He needed 30 putts.

He finished 10 holes on Thursday before the round was suspended and was 2 over par. He came out Friday morning, missed the fairway and green at No. 11, and made a bogey. He rolled in a 20-footer to save par at the par-5 12th, then bogeyed the 13th and made a double bogey at the 14th.

Woods then made his first birdie of the tournament at the 15th and hole and was on a three-birdie run before hitting his tee shot in the water at No. 18, leading to another bogey.

The No. 1-ranked player in the world is off to a tough start in 2014, with a tie for 80th at the Farmers Insurance Open, a tie for 41st at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the withdrawal last week at the Honda Classic, where he was outside of the top 40.

Woods was in a tie for 53rd after the first round of the WGC event that has no 36-hole cut.
Courtesy:ESPN