GOLF: Defending champion Tiger Woods was one shot off the lead after a two-under-par 70 in the first round of the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando yesterday.
The world number one trailed five players - Stewart Cink, Jonathan Kaye, J L Lewis, Jeff Maggert and Australian Aaron Baddeley - who carded three-under 69s to share the early lead at the par-72, 7,207-yard Bay Hill Club and Lodge.
Woods was joined in the clubhouse on two-under by six-time major champion Nick Faldo, Ben Crane, Brad Faxon and Marco Dawson at the $4.5 million event.
Another group of five - Matt Kuchar, Scott Verplank, David Gossett, twice major winner John Daly and Britain's Luke Donald - finished their rounds a further stroke back.
Baddeley, 22, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, raced to five-under-par through 14 holes before suffering consecutive bogeys.
World number two Ernie Els of South Africa had a late tee time, but was one-under through the first four holes.
Ernie Els will be one of 12 players to have the chance to play for the most lucrative winner's cheque in either European and US golf when he defends his World Matchplay title at Wentworth this year.
Els yesterday helped announce the arrival of HSBC as tournament sponsors in a 10-year deal, with the bank contributing to a first prize of £1 million. No event on either tour has such high prize money.
The arrival of HSBC will see a change in the tournament where, with the defending champion and world number one, players will qualify based on a ranking system instead of being invited to take part.
