Tiger Fires a First-Round 65

Tiger Woods shot his lowest round of the year on Thursday, just 72 hours after his divorce from wife Elin.

The world No 1 opened with a 65 to take the early lead in the first FedEx Cup event in New York.

Woods, 34, hit all but one fairway and 15 out of 18 greens in regulation in his six-under-par round.  

The 34-year-old American birdied four holes on the front nine on a mild, sunny day before a bogey at the 12th.

He rebounded with three more birdies, finishing by rolling in a seven-footer for birdie at the 18th. “It’s exciting to hit the ball flush like this again,” said Woods, who has struggled through a disappointing season with no victories. “It’s something I’ve been missing all year.”

Woods’s admission of multiple affairs led to a five-month lay-off. “It was a lot more difficult than I was letting on,” Woods had said on Wednesday.

“Most of the summer was like that. You try to block it out, but yes, at times it was (very painful).”

Joining Woods on 65 was fellow-American Vaughn Taylor, who birdied three holes in a row from the 13th, with compatriots Ryan Palmer and Brian Gay one stroke away on 66.