GOLF ROUNDUP : Tiger Woods Rallies to Advance in U.S. Amateur

Tiger Woods of Cypress won four consecutive holes on the back nine and rallied to defeat former champion Buddy Alexander on Thursday and advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla .

“As far as comebacks are concerned, this is a pretty big one,” said Woods, 18.

“I’ve never lost a match like that,” said Alexander, the 1986 Amateur champion and the golf coach at the University of Florida.

Woods was much sharper in his morning match, a 6-and-5 victory over Michael Flynn of Rochester, N.H.

Ted Oh of Torrance was eliminated in the morning round in a 4-and-3 loss to Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn.

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Craig Stadler birdied the last four holes at Firestone Country Club at Akron, Ohio, and shot a five-under-par 65 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with Loren Roberts in the NEC World Series of Golf.

Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain, Mark McCumber and Jeff Maggert were a stroke back at 66.

Greg Norman led a large group at 67 that included Billy Mayfair, Steve Lowery, David Frost and Ian Baker-Finch.

PGA and British Open champion Nick Price finished at 68, tied with U.S. Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa.

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Martha Nause birdied the last three holes to shoot a seven-under-par 65, which was good for a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA du Maurier Classic at Ottawa.

Leigh Ann Mills, Kelly Robins, Debbie Massey and Michelle McGann were all at 66 on the rain-soaked 6,400-yard Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club course.