ORLANDO, Fla. — To understand just how good Spencer Levin’s 6-under 66 was, you have to look at the other end of the leaderboard, where 13 players didn’t break 80. One of those was the world’s fourth-ranked player, Graeme McDowell, who shot 80.
In all, just 21 players broke par and the 13 players who couldn’t crack 80 is the most here since the second round in 1983 when 24 players failed to do so. It also exceeds the four-day total from each of the last five years.
The worst score of the day? That came from Yuta Ikeda. The world’s 48th-ranked player shot an 84 that included an 11 on the par-5 sixth hole, where he put three shots in the water.
The course scoring average for the day? A whopping 74.743, which is more than 2 1/2 strokes over par — and more than 8 1/2 strokes higher than Levin’s round.
That scoring average, by the way, was the second-highest of the year to only The Honda Classic, which had a 73.875 (par 70) average on the first day. Guess who led after the first round there? That’s right, Levin. — Brian Wacker
Woods whipped by wind, shoots 73
ORLANDO, Fla. — There was a time in Tiger Woods’ career when he was not only comfortable in the wind, he enjoyed it.
Thursday he looked the exact opposite, missing fairways and backing off putts on more than one occasion because the wind had blown his putter off line.
“It’s hard, man, it’s just hard to stay steady,” said Woods, whose 1-over 73 is his first and only over-par round at Bay Hill since a 74 there in 1999. “The wind ‑‑ it’s one thing to have the wind blowing 20, 30 miles an hour, that’s fine. But it was actually gusty. It was hard to get the putter actually going back straight and through, because it’s moving all over the place.”
That was evident in the 32 putts he took, which included missing three from inside 10 feet. It was also evident off the tee. Woods, who has won this tournament six times in his career, hit just four fairways all day and zero over his first nine holes.
On the 18th, Woods missed the fairway right, was forced to lay up out of the thick rough and failed to get up-and-down from 12 feet — at one point backing off the putt before missing the attempt for par.
“It’s a lot tougher,” Woods said of playing in the wind. “I hit the ball ‑‑ I didn’t drive the ball well early but I hit my irons well all day. That wasn’t a problem at all. They were the right distance, right shape, right traj; so that wasn’t a problem.”
Still, Woods, who is seven shots off the lead, was relatively pleased with what he got out of his round with all factors considered.
“Overall I’m still right there in the ballgame,” Woods said. “Nobody went low except for Spencer Levin. Most of the good scores were in the morning; so hopefully we can do it tomorrow morning.”
He’ll certainly get an early start. Woods will tee off at 8:26 a.m. ET on Friday. — Brian Wacker
Levin feeling comfortable on TOUR
ORLANDO, Fla. — For first starts in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, this was a pretty good one for Spencer Levin, whose 6-under 66 is good enough to give him a three-shot lead after the opening round.
Levin made six birdies on a windblown day at Bay Hill, where he took just 24 putts on his way to a bogey-free round.
While Levin couldn’t really explain why he putted or played so well, he did admit to being more comfortable in what is now his third year on the PGA TOUR.
“Playing mini‑tours and stuff, you come out and you’re playing for this much money, and obviously you’re not thinking about the money, but it’s hard your first year out here when you know a putt is worth X dollars,” said Levin, who has finished in the top 15 in four of his last five starts. “You get to know everybody, you get used to the venues and you just feel more at ease with everybody around you and I think what I think has helped me a lot.
“I think I did think I belonged, but I kind of looked at it ‑‑ once I did make it, then you know you belong.”
A big part of the reason Levin is out here again is because he finished 2010 with a tie for fourth in Las Vegas and a tie for third at Disney. That secured Levin’s TOUR card, and he seems to have carried that momentum to this season.
“I don’t think I ever thought I didn’t belong but obviously there were some times when you might doubt yourself; just looking where you are on the money list,” Levin said. “It’s easy to let this game do that to you. But now, after last year, keeping my card, I felt a little more confident earlier this year for sure.” — Brian Wacker
Woods has leg up on Featured Group
After one round of play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, Tiger Woods is ahead of the other two members of the Featured Group – Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland
Woods, who left the course tied for 33rd after bogeying No. 18 for a 1-over 73, was four shots ahead of his two playing partners after a tough opening 18 holes at Bay Hill. He had four birdies and five bogeys in his opening round.
Woods hit just four fairways and needed 32 putts on the round. He gave up 30 yards off the tee to Woodland and 45 to Johnson, but avoided the costly big numbers while his two opponents each had a double bogey (with Johnson also having a triple bogey).
The Featured Group tees off for Round 2 on Friday on No. 10 at 8:26 a.m. ET.
Levin leads after bogey-free 66
ORLANDO, Fla. — Spencer Levin just capped off a bogey-free 66 that has him atop the leaderboard late in the opening round at Bay Hill.
Given the windy conditions that lead should remain safe overnight with Levin having poured in six birdies while taking just 24 putts.He also saved par from the bunker three times and hit a dozen greens in regulation.
This also marks the second time in three starts that Levin has been in the lead in the opening round. Earlier this month, he opened with a 67 at The Honda Classic to lead by one.
On the year, Levin has five top-25s, which includes a pair of top-10 finishes. — Brian Wacker
McDowell stumbles to 80
ORLANDO, Fla. — About the only positive thing to come out of Graeme McDowell’s round Thursday at Bay Hill was the fact that it wasn’t his career worst. That would be an 81 in the final round of the 2005 U.S. Open at Shinnecock.
McDowell’s 80 on a windblown day at Bay Hill, however, does mark just the third time in his career he’s posted a score in the 80s on the PGA TOUR. The other came in the third round of the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
Thursday’s round also leaves the highest ranked player in the field near the bottom of the leaderboard.
McDowell managed to hit 10 fairways and 10 greens in regulation at Bay Hill, but he also took 34 putts and made just one birdie — compared to six bogeys and one triple bogey. The latter came on the par-5 sixth, where he hit his tee shot and then his approach shot into the water.
“After I made triple on No. 6, I was well aware that I had to finish with a few pars to break the old 80 barrier, but managed to three-whack eight just compound the error,” McDowell told CBSSports.com. “It was one of those things. It was a battle out there and I tried to hang tough, but that triple bogey just kind of ended my week, probably.”
The reigning U.S. Open champion also missed six putts from inside 10 feet.
“I got it all out of my system today,” McDowell continued. “There’s not really an explanation. My long game’s kind of been a little off lately.
“Disappointing, really, not exactly what I had in mind and 80 is pretty awesome stuff. You know, this is a tough golf course and you really wanna be on top of your game out there and I was on top of nothing today. Didn’t drive it particularly well, my iron play was pretty weak and I putted awful.”
If McDowell does miss the cut here, which seems likely, he’ll next head to Augusta National on Tuesday with Ian Poulter, Peter Hanson and Henrik Stenson. — Brian Wacker
GRAEME McDOWELL’S WORST ROUNDS ON TOUR
| Score | Tournament | Course | Round |
| 11-over 81 | 2005 U.S. Open | Shinnecock Hills | Fourth |
| 10-over 80 | 2008 British Open | Royal Birkdale | Third |
| 8-over 80 | 2011 Arnold Palmer Inv. | Bay Hill | First |
Featured group update: All struggling
ORLANDO, Fla. — It hasn’t exactly been a rousing return to Bay Hill for Tiger Woods, who is playing here after missing last year’s event while on hiatus. Through his first nine holes, Woods is 1 over with two bogeys and a birdie on what’s been an increasingly windy day.
The biggest problem from Woods so far? Playing in the wind — he hasn’t hit a fairway yet. On a positive note, Woods did hit six of his first nine greens. He also hasn’t been great with his putting. Twice, he’s missed putts from 5-7 feet. The flip side of that, however, is that he’s 2-for-3 from 10-15 feet and 1-for-2 from 15-20 feet.
On a side note, Woods has just one over-par opening round in his 13 starts as a professional at Bay Hill. That came in 1999 when he shot 74.
Woods’ playing partners, Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland, aren’t playing any better. They’re 2 and 3 over, respectively, and have just one birdie apiece. Click here to follow the group on the back nine.
Watch: Fowler on his opening round
See the article here:
Tour Report: Bay Hill the winner on Thursday (PGATOUR.com)