On the fifth hole Thursday, for example, Woods's low-boring iron off the tee found the left side of the fairway.

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He birdied the sixth then picked up a superb eagle on the par-four seventh, holing with a seven iron after having again driven his tee shot into a bunker.

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Realizing the pin was not tucked on the side, he laid back off the tee with a 3-wood, and then hit 6-iron into 10 feet for a birdie.

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At the closing hole, his 320-plus-yard tee shot was some 40 yards ahead of Matthews and Moul and one well-struck two iron later, McIlroy was on the green.

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