‘PUTTING’ IT TOGETHER: Tiger Woods, lining up a putt on the seventh hole, took just 23 putts in his first-round 6-under-par 66 yesterday. Woods, who is tied for the lead, credited his success on the greens to a tip veteran Steve Stricker (inset) gave him on Wednesday. (Getty Images (2))
DORAL, Fla. — The opening round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral’s Blue Monster did not begin until yesterday, but for Tiger Woods the tournament began late Wednesday afternoon at the putting green.
Chasing the setting sun, Woods took in an impromptu practice session with Steve Stricker, one of the world’s best putters, and he put Stricker’s tips into action in Thursday’s first round to sterling results.
Woods, coming off a nondescript week at the Honda Classic, shot a 6-under-par 66 to tie for the first-round lead with Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell and Freddie Jacobson.
Stricker, Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan and Peter Hanson are one shot off the lead at 5-under in a star-studded leaderboard.
Woods, who had nine birdies, needed just 23 putts in his round, the fewest of any player in the 65-man field, and he credited the Wednesday session with Stricker for his success on the greens.
“Whatever ‘Stricks’ says, I’m going to do. That dude is one of the best putters that has ever lived,’’ Woods said. “Did it help me today? Yes, it did. He got me into the same posture that I was at Torrey [where Woods won earlier this year]. I had gotten off a little bit. So I felt comfortable — just like I did at Torrey, and I started rolling it just like I did then.’’
Stricker, who’s playing a scaled-back schedule this year in an effort to spend more time with his family and rest, said he jokingly told Woods on Wednesday night, “If you put me on your payroll I can play a little bit less.’’
Stricker said he saw immediate improvement in Woods’ putting during the session and said when he left him “he was really excited.’’
“Sometimes you need another pair of eyes,’’ Stricker said. “We’ve watched each other’s strokes for a long time, and he was talking a little yesterday that a couple putts were bothering him. I always hate to interject anything with him, but he was open to it. You don’t want to screw a guy up.
“But when I left him [Wednesday] night, he really felt good and was really excited and it looked like he was rolling it really good then. You never know. You can hurt a guy giving him a tip or two or you can help him out. I was glad to see him shoot 6-under.’’
It is one of the unique dynamics to the game of golf that players help each other out — even during a tournament in which they are competing against each other. How should Stricker feel, for example, if Woods ends up winning the tournament by one shot over him on Sunday, thanks to holing out some big putts?
“It is interesting, but it’s the nature of our game,’’ Stricker said. “I remember playing here one year with Jack [Nicklaus], and I was not playing very well. I got done and he said, ‘I’ll meet you on the range.’ I had made the cut and he didn’t, but he just took some time to help me figure some things out.
“We are competitors out here, but we are friends, and you like to see your friends do well.’’
Said Woods: “That’s what friends do. Friends help each other out, and Steve and I have been friends for a long time. This is what we do. We always try and help out each other, and whether it’s one generation to the next or it’s your current competitors, whatever it is; it’s just the nature of our sport. We just do that.’’
Woods, who has won this event six times, then said jokingly he is considering signing Stricker to a contract “because he’s only going to play, what, five tournaments this year? So I’ll bring him out in his off weeks.’’
In an ironic twist, minutes after Woods had completed his round, Stricker’s day ended in frustration when he missed a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have tied him with Woods for the lead.