Bubba Watson leads, as Tiger Woods shoots 74

With Tiger Woods struggling, long-hitting Bubba Watson stole the limelight from the game’s biggest names by surging into a two-shot lead in Thursday’s opening round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio.

Competing in the elite World Golf Championships event for the first time, Watson birdied five of the last eight holes on a hot, humid afternoon to card a six-under-par 64 at Firestone Country Club.

He ended his round by finding the left rough off the 18th tee before hitting a lob wedge over trees to 36 feet and coolly sinking a curling putt from just off the green for a birdie.

Woods, seeking a record eighth win at one of his favorite venues, struggled in every area of his game as he chalked up a six-bogey 74, his worst score at Firestone in 45 rounds.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson, who could replace Woods as the world’s top-ranked player after this week, shot a 66 and was two strokes off the pace with fellow American Kenny Perry, Australian Adam Scott and U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland.

Four more Americans — Chad Campbell, Sean O’Hair, Jeff Overton and Bo Van Pelt — and Retief Goosen of South Africa opened with matching 67s.

Watson, who clinched his first PGA Tour title at the Travelers Championship in June, had never seen the tight, tree-lined Firestone layout before this week.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but I putted really well, hit good iron shots and made it look a little bit easy,” the 31-year-old told reporters after covering the back nine in four-under 31 and totaling 22 putts.

“But we’re not done yet. We’ve still got three tough days of golf to go.”

Watson, whose main target this year was to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team, felt he had benefited from his relaxed approach at Firestone.

“If it’s a win this week or whatever it takes to get into the Ryder Cup, that’s my main goal,” he said. “I learned the golf course in a couple of days … so I’m just free-wheeling it, just having fun.”

Woods, who had averaged 67.8 in his previous 44 rounds at Firestone, took little comfort after hitting five fairways out of 14, struggling with his iron shots and totaling 32 putts.

“Just because I like the golf course doesn’t mean I’m going to play well on it,” he said. “You still have to execute, and I didn’t do that today.

“I’ve just got to hopefully tomorrow get it to even par or under par for the tournament and then hopefully put together a good weekend and see where that puts me.”

Mickelson would become the world’s No. 1-ranked player for the first time with victory this week. He would also take over at the top by finishing in the top four at Firestone if Woods places outside the top 37 and Lee Westwood finishes third or worse. Westwood shot a 71.

Uresti, Sabbatini tied at Turning Stone

South African Rory Sabbatini birdied five of his first six holes on the way to a share of the first-round lead at the Turning Stone Championship in Verona, N.Y.

Sabbatini, seeking a sixth PGA Tour title, fired a seven-under 65 on the Atunyote course to set the pace with Omar Uresti after play had earlier been halted for almost three hours due to the threat of lightning. A suspension because of darkness meant the second round would be completed Friday.

Brian Davis, Alex Cejka, Brad Faxon and Steve Elkington were a shot back at 66, with six players at 67.