Hoch, Stewart tied at top; Woods five shots
back
By KEN PETERS AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Scott Hoch and Payne Stewart shot 6-under-par
65s to share the lead, and Tiger Woods, his caddy waging a running
battle with photographers, had a 70 in Thursday's first round
of the Nissan Open.
Hoch, who started his round on No. 10, made the turn at even-par
then had six birdies and a 6-under-par 29 for his last nine holes
at Riviera Country Club.
Stewart, coming back from elbow surgery, also got hot after
making the turn, when he birdied four of the last eight holes.
Nick Faldo and Paul Goydos were one shot off the pace. Mark
O'Meara, who has already won twice this year, and Tom Watson were
in a group at 67.
Woods, as usual shadowed by a large gallery and a throng of
news photographers, started with birdies on his first two holes,
then bogeyed Nos. 6 and 7. His putting inconsistent, he birdied
the 13th, bogeyed No. 14, then birdied No. 17.
Along the way, caddy Mike Cowan yelled and waved photographers
out from behind his putting line on one hole. Then, after a photographer
in the group ringing the 18th green snapped off a couple of frames
as Woods' was about to putt, Cowan yelled at the photographers
again.
Woods backed off the 5-foot try for par when he heard the camera,
then came back and made the putt.
As he and Woods went to the scorer's tent, Cowan berated one
photographer, whom he mistakenly thought was the guilty party
on the 18th green.
Woods declined to be interviewed after the round, telling a
tournament official that he thought it was unnecessary since he
was not among the leaders, and also indicated that he was unhappy
with the photographers.
The 21-year-old Woods, who has won three of the 11 PGA events
he's played since turning pro last fall, did not say anything
to the photographers.
Stewart, the former PGA and U.S. Open champion who underwent
surgery Dec. 31 to remove a bone chip in his right elbow, finished
tied for 35th last weekend at Tucson, his first outing since the
operation.
Hoch, who has seven career wins, has played in three events
this year, with a tie for ninth in the Bob Hope Classic his highest
finish.
Faldo, the Masters champion last year, has finished back in
the pack in both his 1997 Tour appearances.
NOTES
Nissan Open defending champion Craig Stadler shot a 71, and
Corey Pavin, who won the tournament at Riviera in 1994 and 1995,
opened with a 73. Fred Couples, the winner in 1990 and 1992 and
the runner-up three times including last year, had a 68. DIVOTS:
Rocco Mediate was hospitalized Thursday morning because of a reaction
to antibiotics. He was sick Wednesday night, a tournament official
said. Mediate, who obviously had to withdraw from the tournament,
was released from the hospital after a couple of hours and said
he was feeling much better. He caught a flight home to Jacksonville,
Fla., where he will rest up for next week's tournament at Doral.
... After his good start Thursday, Woods seemed to lose momentum
when he three-putted the par-3 No. 6. ... Riviera is in much better
condition than it was for the 1995 PGA Championship, when the
greens were mostly brown and pockmarked. Watson, a winner at Riviera
in 1980 and 1982, said the greens now are softer, slower than
before and more predictable. ... Jeff Sluman, the winner last
weekend in Arizona, shot a 74 that left him nine shots behind
the co-leaders.
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