Furyk, Love lead TPC; Woods' game, thoughts are elsewhere

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Tiger Woods described his day as "sporadic," which could have meant a golf game that left him seven shots behind Thursday at The Players Championship, or a mind that wandered between his ailing father in California and the perils of the TPC at Sawgrass.

He wasn't fatigued from a 24-hour, coast-to-coast trip to check on Earl Woods.

Nor was he disgusted with five bogeys that offset five birdies on a cool, damp afternoon that left him closer to the cut line than the 7-under 65s posted early by Davis Love III and Jim Furyk.

After an even-par 72, Woods spoke as much about putting as perspective.

"You hit a bad shot and you want to get upset with yourself because you know you can hit better shots," Woods said. "But you know what? In the whole scheme of things, it's just a golf shot."

His 74-year-old father's body is wracked with cancer, and Woods said he flew home to lift his spirits. Golf was not part of their conversation.

"It's not about me hitting golf shots. It's about him," Woods said. "I want him around as long as possible. It's all about him feeling better, and keep fighting and keep hanging in there."

As Woods pulled into the parking lot, Love and Furyk were on a different pace on the course, headed for the same destination. Love started quickly and was steady to the end, while Furyk -- his dinner companion the night before -- opened with seven pars and closed with a 31 on the back nine.

They had a two-shot lead over Robert Allenby, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Bernhard Langer.