GOLF Wednesday’s news & notes

PGA

Tiger shares lead at Tour Championship

ATLANTA

Another tournament, another share of the first-round lead for Tiger Woods.

Woods made an eagle putt from just over 25 feet on the par-5 18th hole for a 5-under 65 and a share of the lead Thursday with Rickie Fowler in the Tour Championship.

It wasn’t as low as the 62 he shot at Aronimink to share the 18-hole lead in the BMW Championship two weeks ago. For Woods, this one felt even better because of the dry, tougher conditions at East Lake.

Woods has said getting to the Tour Championship after recovering from a fourth back surgery makes this year successful even without a victory.

Justin Rose and Gary Woodland were at 66.

Web.com

Chris Paisley shoots 61, leads Championship

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla.

Chris Paisley birdied four of the last five holes for a 10-under 61 and the first-round lead Thursday in the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship.

Paisley played the back nine first at Atlantic Beach Country Club, closing with an eagle on the par-5 18th. On the front nine, he birdied the par-3 fifth and finished with three straight birdies.

Paisley likely needing to finish in the top three in the tournament to get one of the 25 PGA Tour at stake.

Cameron Tringale and Canadian Ben Silverman were two strokes back at 63. Tringale is tied for 83rd in the PGA Tour card race, and Silverman is tied for 85th.

Lucas Glover was at 64 with Ben Crane, Nicholas Lindheim, Matt Every, Trevor Cone, Denny McCarthy, Carlos Ortiz and Jose de Jesus Rodriguez.

European

Garcia finds form in Portugal Masters

VILAMOURA, Portugal

Sergio Garcia shot a 5-under 66 and was three strokes off the first-round lead at the Portugal Masters on Thursday as the Spanish golfer looked to find some form in his final event before next week’s Ryder Cup.

He is one of four wild-card selections by European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn.

Lucas Herbert of Australia led the way with a bogey-free 63.

Herbert was one stroke ahead of English pair Eddie Pepperell and Matt Wallace and Shane Lowry of Ireland, and two in front of Haotong Li of China.

Associated Press