Woods in Pain as Langer Makes Gains

Bernhard Langer, back at the Tour Championship for the first time in 14 years, shot a six-under-par 65 on Thursday for a share of the lead.

Tiger Woods’ return to Champions Golf Club in Houston only brought him pain.

Woods injured his lower back and struggled through the opening round, squatting to stick his tee in the ground and retrieve his ball from the cup, grimacing every time he tried to hit a big drive.

“I just wanted to stay in contention and shoot something under par,” Woods said.

He managed that, a one-under 70 that left him five strokes behind Langer and Frank Lickliter in the $5-million season-ending tournament that he won at Champions in 1999.

Woods wasn’t specific about how he injured his back, only that it occurred Wednesday as he was getting worked on in the fitness trailer.

Scott Verplank and Steve Lowery were at 67, with Brad Faxon and Mike Weir at 68.

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Fred Funk shot a seven-under 65 for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss.

Mark Brooks, Dicky Pride and Cameron Beckman carded 66s on a dry but breezy day.

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Neither Greg Norman nor Nick Faldo played enough tournaments to maintain their PGA Tour membership cards for 2002, but it’s probably not going to make much difference anyway.

Norman, 47 in February, and Faldo, 44, can still play in 10 tour-sanctioned events next year, which is only slightly less than the number of tournaments they played this year.

Norman played in 11 tournaments, one fewer than mandated under his requirements as a 45-year-old with 150 cuts made. Faldo played in 13, two fewer than the 15 he needed.

Each could have added tournaments to his schedule and chose not to. Both players are otherwise exempt.