Tiger gets off to a roaring start

SOUTHPORT England, July 16: Tiger Woods seized control of the British Open at Royal Birkdale here on Thursday with a blistering five-un...

SOUTHPORT England, July 16: Tiger Woods seized control of the British Open at Royal Birkdale here on Thursday with a blistering five-under par 65 opening round. The 22-year-old, making the most of the dramatically improved weather conditions, had four birdies on the outward nine and three more on the way home.

Only a bogey on the 12th and the 18th, when he missed a five-foot par putt, marred what was almost a perfect round. Using his devastating power to the utmost effect, the former Masters champion pulled out a driver at the 441-yard par-four ninth and let rip. The ball nestled to a halt only 40 yards from the edge of the green.

A chip and a putt later Woods was out in 30. 8220;I am very pleased. Made a lot of good putts and drove the ball well,8221; said a beaming Woods afterwards. 8220;I8217;m ready to win another major,8221; he added menacingly.

Earlier American John Huston, making his first Open appearance for three years, also shot a five-under 65, set up by three straight birdies on 10, 11 and 12. 8220;That kindof jump started my round,8221; said the 37-year-old.Huston put the icing on the cake with an eagle on the 547-yard 17th when he sank a 40 foot putt. 8220;Just to finish that way is pretty pleasing,8221; he said.

Nick Price, trying to rediscover the form that saw him win the Open at Turnberry in 1994, set himself up with a four-under par 66 and firmly in contention. 8220;I have been working on my putting for the past two weeks and it paid off today,8221; enthused Price.

The winds that had buffeted the players earlier in the week and turned practice rounds into a farce had greatly subsided and with the sun shining, the rolling Birkdale links were there to be attacked.

Sam Torrance, who won his first tournament for nearly three years when he won the French Open in June, went to three-under before slipping back to finish the day with a one-under 69.

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Colin Montgomerie, top European money winner for the past five years, was struggling with his short game but still managed to be one-under after nine. But a disastroushomeward nine saw the 35-year-old finish three over and nine shots behind Woods. 8220;I was pulling everything. The fad has gone and I now hook the ball. Hopefully I can try and make the cut. That is all I am interested in right now. That8217;s all my tournament is involved with now,8221; said a glum Montgomerie.

BIG BOOST FOR ASIA: In a major boost to Asian sport, the Asian PGA Omega tour has been admitted as the sixth and youngest member of the PGA Tours International Federation, world8217;s leading professional golf tours, the Tour said in a statement here today, reports PTI.

Schofield said, 8220;The debate on the Omega Tour was based on consistency, and the feeling was that any tour wishing to join the PGA Tours International Federation would need to demonstrate five years of operation and schedule.8221;

8220;This is truly historic day for Asian sport and the greatest moment of my involvement with Asian professional golf,8221; said Asian PGA8217;s Executive Director Ramlan Dato Harun.The other members of theInternational body are the US PGA tour, the PGA European tour, the PGA Tour of Japan, the PGA tour of Australasia and the Southern Africa PGA tour.