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Summary Tiger Woods returns to PGA Tour with a slow start and only managed a 2-over 73 in the first round.
PGA Tour rookie Brendan Steele and fellow Americans Briny Baird, Garrett Willis and Matt Bettencourt stole the limelight from Tiger Woods by charging into a tie for the Frys.com Open lead.While Woods struggled on the greens in mainly wet and cold conditions at CordeValle Golf Club in his first tournament appearance in almost two months, Steele and company fired four-under-par 67s to set the first-round pace.Steele, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour title at the Texas Open in April, covered the back nine in a sizzling five-under 31 to join Baird, Willis and Bettencourt at the top of the leaderboard on a saturated course playing ultra-long.Journeyman Baird, who has to win a PGA Tour title after 12 full seasons on the U.S. circuit, sunk a 20-foot par putt at the last to secure his 67 and share of the lead.Australians Steve Bowditch, Matt Jones, Rod Pampling and Aron Price, Canadian Chris Baryla and American Troy Matteson opened with 68s while three-times major winner Ernie Els was among a group of 14 players on 69.British world number 20 Paul Casey, the highest-ranked player in the field, briefly held a share of the lead before dropping four shots in the last six holes to card a 70.
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