March 15 (UPI) — Tiger Woods sank a 71-foot putt for birdie Thursday to take the lead at Bay Hill.
Woods’ putt came on the 199-yard seventh hole in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is played near Orlando, Fla. The magic came on Woods’ 16th hole of the day. The birdie gave him the outright lead with a 4-under-par.
His first shot on the par-3 sailed 201 yards and landed in the fringe, just off the green. But Woods eyed the long putt and was thinking about picking up a stroke.
He hit the ball to his right, before it came back in left and drifted into the hole.
Woods, 42, finished the day tied for second place, trailing Jimmy Walker‘s 5-under-par. Walker hit a walk-off eagle on the final hole to become the clubhouse leader.
The 42-year-old is ranked No. 149 in the world, improving on his No. 388 ranking after a second-place performance at the Valspar Championship.
Woods had six birdies and one bogey in Thursday’s first round. Last week, he also had a very long putt for birdie. He sank a 44-foot attempt on the 17th hole on Sunday at the Innisbrook Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Fla. Woods went on to just miss a 38-foot putt on the 18th hole to finish one stroke back of Valspar Championship winner Paul Casey.