ORLANDO: Tiger Woods and son Charlie are in a three-way tie for first place at 13-under par after the opening round of the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
The Woods duo is tied with Bernhard and Jason Langer, as well as Vijay and Qass Singh after all three teams shot a 59 in the scramble format. The two-day 36-hole tournament concludes Sunday.
Heading into the final round with a share of the tournament lead is as significant to Tiger Woods as it is to his 15-year-old son. Woods, who turns 49 this month, has not played more than a handful of events in a given PGA Tour season since a single-car crash in February 2021 nearly cost him his right leg.
Saturday was Woods' first competitive round since the Open Championship last July, where he missed the cut. He has since undergone another back surgery, and he elected not to play earlier this month in his foundation's event in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge.
The 15-time major champion said there were "moments" when he thought he might not be able to participate in this weekend's event.
Team Woods matched its second lowest round in the event after shooting a 57 in the final round in 2021. The duo is competing in the PNC Championship for the fifth time, with its best finish a runner-up result in 2021.
Team Langer matched its lowest round in the event, marking the fifth time the duo has shot a 59. Bernhard Langer is seeking a sixth PNC Championship title, while winning three times with son Jason and twice with son Stefan.
Bernhard Langer is tied for the all-time record in victories in the event with Raymond Floyd.
Team Singh matched its lowest round in the event, shooting a 59 for the fourth time. The duo won the tournament title in 2022.
Team Lehman (Tom and Sean) and Team Harrington (Padraig and Paddy) are tied for fourth place at 12-under, one shot ahead of Team O'Meara (Mark and Shaun) and two shots ahead of Team Kuchar (Matt and Carson) and Team Annika (Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee). - Reuters