Tiger brings back old putter, shoots 62 to tie BMW lead with Rory

Tiger Woods shoots his lowest first-round score since 1999 with blistering 62.

Andy Roberts's picture
Fri, 7 Sep 2018
Tiger brings back old putter, shoots 62 to tie BMW lead with Rory

 

Tiger Woods put his 'old faithful' Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter back in play at the BMW Championship and instantly shot his best first-round score on the PGA Tour since 1999.


 

Woods benched the Scotty at the US Open and switched to a TaylorMade Ardmore 3 mallet before briefly moving to the TaylorMade Juno blade.

But his iconic blade re-emerged at Aronimink on Thursday as Woods went out in 29 and authored an 8-under 62 to take the early co-lead with Rory McIlroy at the BMW Championship.

“I've been monkeying around with it back home and in the backyard and it never felt right,” said Woods. “It feels good, you know. I know the release point, and I know how it swings, and my body morphed into a position where it understands where it needs to be to release the putter.”

Woods has used the Newport 2 putter for 13 of his 14 career majors.

“I've hit hundreds of millions of putts [with it]. I've had it since '99. I just – my body just remembers it,” he said. “When I go away from it, you know, when I was using the Nike putter, I would always bring it out and hit putts with it. Sometimes it works, but it just feels very familiar to me.”

Woods’ caddie Joe LaCava said Woods practiced with multiple putters on Tuesday and made up his mind to go with the Newport on Wednesday night.

“Once he puts it in the bag, I don’t ask any questions,” said LaCava.

Woods shares the lead with McIlroy, who also shot a 27 on his final nine of the Pro Am on Wednesday.

''It was one of those days where it was out there,'' said McIlroy.

Xander Schauffele lies one stroke back on 7-under par as he bids to take US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk's last remaing wildcard pick, which it's led to believe is going to Tony Finau as things stand.