BETHESDA, Maryland – Bo Van Pelt fired a bogey-free four-under 67 to seize a one-shot lead after the opening round of the ATT National Thursday at the Congressional Country Club course. American Van Pelt made the best of some difficult conditions Thursday. He holed out from the fairway for an eagle on a day when just seven players managed to post scores in the 60s. Tiger Woods wasn't one of those as he settled for a one-over 72. The average score was about 73.5. Three-time major winner Vijay Singh, Brendon De Jonge and Jimmy Walker were tied for second at three-under 68, while Pat Perez, Jason Day and Billy Hurley all shot 69. The 37-year-old Van Pelt, who has five top-10 finishes this year, has one PGA Tour victory, coming at the 2009 US Bank Championship in Milwaukee. Defending champion Nick Watney is part of a large group tied for eighth at one-under 70. Woods hit 11 greens in regulation but got into problems in the bunkers. His approach sailed into the bunker right of the green on the 15th hole. His shot barely made it out of the sand. He then flubbed a chip shot which left him seven feet from the cup for bogey. “It was a pretty good grind out there,” Woods said. Singh shares record Top India golfer Jeev Milka Singh shared a new course record of 65 on the first day of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush Thursday and then declared his goal of qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Singh, 40, birdied six of his opening nine holes and made it three birdies in succession when he birdied the 10th before dropping a shot at the 14th but ending his round with a birdie at the last in the rain and lightning-affected event. He was later joined by 30-year-old Frenchman Gregory Bourdy who birdied three of his opening four holes in a bogey free display. Singh's starting round is his best opening score since a similar 65 to commence the Maybank Malaysian Open earlier this year, and enroute to finishing 11th in Kuala Lumpur. Bourdy's round is his best all year. While Singh is seeking to win only a fourth European Tour title, as well as ending a four-year winless drought, he also spoke of his quest of qualifying for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904. “I would love to represent India in the 2016 Olympics and not only because of what my father did but because golf is returning to the Olympics,” he said. “So if I can qualify for the Rio Olympics that would be fantastic but I will have to be ranked inside the top-100 on the World Rankings.” — Agencies
