NORTON, Mass. (AP) - Tiger Woods had his lowest opening round in three years Friday in the Deutsche Bank Championship. It still wasn't enough to be low man in Sean Foley's coaching stable.
Seung-yul Noh, a rising star from South Korea in his first season on the PGA Tour, ran off four straight birdies early in his round and closed with back-to-back birdies on the TPC Boston for a 9-under 62.
That gave him a one-shot lead over Chris Kirk, whose 23 putts included an eagle on the new 18th hole.
Woods wasn't too shabby. He stirred up a big gallery on a glorious summer day in New England with six straight birdies, which featured four putts of at least 12 feet and flop shot executed so perfectly that it cleared a steep bunker and landed in an area of the green no larger than a hula hoop. His lone bogey on the final hole gave him a 7-under 64, putting him in a three-way tie for third with Jeff Overton and Ryan Moore.
The average score was just under 70 on a perfect day for scoring, except for the deceptive wind that swirled through the trees.
Rory McIlroy struggled off the tee, though he judged one of the lies in the rough beautifully on the ninth hole, a 7-iron into tap-in range that led to a 65.
EUROPEAN MASTERS
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) - France's Julien Quesne shot a 6-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead in suspended second round of the second round of the European Masters.
Fog delayed the start, and poor visibility ended play with two groups on the course.
Quesne finished with four straight birdies to top the leaderboard at 9 under. England's Danny Willett was second after a 67. Scotland's Paul Lawrie, the winner last week at Gleneagles, was 7 under after a 66.
Greg Norman missed the cut with rounds of 75 and 73.