Strong start helps Tiger card 3-under 68 at Deutsche Bank

For part of Friday’s opening round of the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass., Tiger Woods was an interested spectator. Playing partner Phil Mickelson started fast, touring his first nine — the back nine — in 7-under-par 28.

“What Phil did was pretty impressive,” said Woods, after watching Mickelson shoot an 8-under 63.

Tiger wasn’t bad either, posting a 3-under 68, a round that included four birdies and one bogey.

“Today was a decent day,” Woods said. “I didn’t hit the ball as well as I’d like to, but I scored all right.”

Woods is tied for 34th in the 100-player field, the second of four PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs events.

An early back-nine starter with Mickelson and Adam Scott — who rank first, second and third on the FedExCup points list — Tiger parred the 10th hole to begin Round 1.

Woods then birdied the 231-yard, par-3 11th, sinking an eight-foot putt. He followed with four straight pars, then rolled in a five-foot birdie putt at the 161-yard, par-3 16th hole.

Tiger parred Nos. 17 and 18 to make the turn in 2-under 33.

With temperatures in the high 70s, Tiger carded his lone bogey of the day at the 365-yard, par-4 first. He drove into the left rough, missed the green right and failed to convert from 11 feet. But he regained the dropped shot at the 542-yard, par-5 second with an eight-foot birdie putt.

Woods followed with three consecutive pars, then poured in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 465-yard, par-4 sixth hole. Tiger closed out his round with three straight pars, missing birdie putts of eight feet at No. 7 and 14 feet at No. 9.

“I missed a few opportunities out there,” said Woods, who hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation and used 28 putts. “The course is really receptive and certainly gettable.”

Tiger said his sore back held up well.

“The back is good,” Woods said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t give myself a whole lot of looks.”

Woods begins second-round play Saturday on the first tee at 1:10 p.m. ET with Mickelson and Scott. The tournament ends Monday.