Well-Rested Woods Trails O’Meara by 1

Tiger’s back.

And two holes into the Western Open at Lemont, Ill., Mark O’Meara knew it.

“Three-wood off the tee, sand wedge to two feet. Next hole, driver, three-iron on the front edge of the green, pitched it to two feet,” O’Meara said. “Yeah, I’d say he’s fine.”

Tiger Woods’ game hadn’t been fine, so the 21-year-old Masters champion spent a week fishing, watching TV and relaxing.

He showed Thursday at Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course that the time off helped. Playing in a threesome with O’Meara and John Cook, Woods opened with a five-under-par 67 to put him a stroke behind O’Meara--his Orlando-area neighbor, practice partner and fishing buddy.

“I was fresh, ready to go,” said Woods, who hadn’t broken par in 11 of his previous 12 rounds. “Last few weeks, I’ve been kind of tired. When I went home last week, I just put the clubs away for a little bit. And I felt rejuvenated.”

Dave Stockton Jr., Jim Furyk and Phil Blackmar also were one shot behind O’Meara. David Duval was another stroke back.

Woods’ day included his birdie-birdie start, a string of three birdies midway through the round, and a birdie-birdie finish. On his final hole--the 568-yard, par-five ninth--he drove 316 yards into a 14-mph wind, hit a three-wood past the pin and two-putted.

It wasn’t a perfect round, though. On No. 18, he missed a six-foot par putt. After he tapped in for one of his two bogeys, he pulled the ball from the cup and threw it into the pond to the left of the green.

“I was just frustrated . . . trying to punish the ball,” Woods said. “I think it deserved to go in the water.”

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Karrie Webb shot a 29 on her second nine and held a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Webb, who started on the back nine of the 6,319-yard Highland Meadows Golf Club, was one under at the turn and then rode remarkable iron play to a five-under back nine and a six-under 65.

Two shots behind Webb were Tammie Green, Vickie Odegard and 1994 Jamie Farr champion Kelley Robbins.

Nancy Lopez was among seven players at 68. Defending champion Joan Pitcock shot a 76.

Webb’s wedge to three feet secured a birdie on No. 1, and she dropped a 25-footer at No. 4 to get to three under and begin a run of three consecutive birdies. Approaches to within three feet at No. 5 and one foot at No. 6 yielded tap-in birdies.

“Wind pockets were swirling out there but I was knocking it stiff on the front nine,” Webb said. “I was on a roll, so the wind didn’t bother me at all.”

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England’s Lee Westwood used a blistering start to shoot a course-record, six-under 65 in the opening round of the Irish Open at Dublin.

Westwood played the first five holes in five under par.

Thomas Bjorn of Denmark was second at 66.