With ill father, Woods puts golf in perspective

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 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

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-par 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, who conquered the treacherous island-green 17th with his 20th career birdie. Vijay Singh was among those another shot behind on a cool, but calm day on the Stadium Course.

Auto racing

NASCAR issues fines

At Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR fined two Nextel Cup crew chiefs for technical violations found last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and indefinitely suspended a crew member.

Rodney Childers, crew chief for Scott Riggs, was fined $10,000 for an improperly attached weight found during practice for the Golden Corral 500, while David Hyder, crew chief for Ken Schrader, was fined $1,000 for using an unapproved side window discovered during prequalifying inspection.

Thomas Harris, a member of the Haas/CNC race team that fields Cup cars for Jeff Green, was suspended indefinitely for duplicating a NASCAR annual credential.

Miscellany

Jackson guides Aussies

Seattle Storm star Lauren Jackson led Australia to the basketball gold medal at the Commonwealth Games with 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 77-39 victory over New Zealand at Melbourne, Australia.

•Peter Vanderkaay and Ryan Lochte owned their events at the NCAA swimming and diving championships again in Atlanta.

Vanderkaay, a Michigan senior, swam the 500-yard freestyle in 4 minutes, 8.6 seconds, to set an American record.

Florida’s Lochte won his second straight national title in the 200-yard individual medley, also swimming to an American record of 1:40.55.