Woods May Be Ill, But His Score Is OK : Golf: Defending champion battles flu to shoot 68 in first round of Optimist Junior World.

LA JOLLA — Eldrick “Tiger” Woods shot a four-under-par 68 Tuesday to open his title defense in the Optimist Junior World tournament at Torrey Pines South. When he reached the clubhouse, Woods nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

Woods’ performance on the par-72, 6,727-yard championship course was what many expect to see from him someday on the PGA Tour.

That was inspiring enough. It became more so after Woods, 16, bidding for an unprecedented seventh Junior World championship, said he was so ill he felt like dying.

Slumped in a chair with his head between his legs, the 6-foot, 135-pound phenom from Cypress let out a loud, tonsil-wrenching cough and warned his companions that he might soon vomit. This after he had just missed a chance to eagle the 18th hole.

Instead, he hit his downhill, 15-foot eagle putt too hard and wound up three-putting for par. After capping a five-birdie, one-bogey round for his best score ever at Torrey Pines, Woods went looking for a nurse.

“You know how those football players do it when they feel badly and play good? Same thing with golfers,” said Woods, not at a loss for an explanation for his 68, the best score among 278 competitors in the boys’ 15-17 division.

“You don’t expect as much, you really don’t,” he said. “It was kind of hard. I tried not to cough when the other guys were hitting.”

Woods seemingly did not exceed anyone’s expectations Tuesday, despite the fact his bout with a powerful case of the flu had entered its fourth day.

After winning six other Junior World titles in 10 years (topping the previous record of four), San Diegans associate his name with greatness.

The fact he played in the PGA Los Angeles Open earlier this year is an indication that his legend has spread beyond the junior circuit.

Woods upstaged his 69 last year in the fourth and final round to beat San Diegan Chris Riley by three strokes.

“Tiger is a bit famous, and I (caught myself) watching him many times,” said playing partner Tetsuya Haraguchi of Japan. “Like I was part of the gallery. He’s so good (of a) player.”

Haraguchi turned in the foursome’s second-best score, 76.

Woods wore gray slacks, a heavy pull-over sweater and a Chicago Bulls cap to stay warm, but shivered during the 7:15 a.m. tee-off, perspired when the clouds broke and finally felt comfortable when a brisk wind picked up midway through the 5-hour, 45-minute round.

He blew his nose often, drank four bottles of water and kept his game face on. After he put his tee shot in sand, resulting in his only bogey at 15, he cursed himself for slipping to three under.

But despite the aches and nausea, he birdied Nos. 5, 8, 9, 13 and 17. Most impressive was his comeback on 13, after driving into the rough six feet from the out-of-bounds marker. He got back to the fairway with a 4-iron, then used a sand wedge to the green for a two-foot tap-in on the par-five, 520-yard hole.

“I’ve played (Torrey Pines South) better; just haven’t scored,” Woods said. “Played it well last year, but only shot a 69.”

Before heading off to bed, where he had spent the previous three days, not able to eat, Woods grabbed at his hip pocket.

“My handkerchief is so wet . . .” he said. “Does anybody got any cough syrup around here?”

Tournament Notes

Betty Chen of La Quinta and Erika Hayashida of Lima, Peru each shot even-par 74 at Torrey Pines North to lead a record field of 122 in the girls’ 15-17 division in the first of four rounds. Debbie Kim of Poway turned in the best score among San Diego area players, an 83 that ties her for 10th. . . . Michael Chavez of Santa Barbara and Edward Loar of Rockwall, Tex. shared the early lead in the boys’ 13-14 division, each shooting a three-under 68 at Mission Trails (par 71, 5,604 yards). . . . Grace Park of Honolulu opened with an even-par 71, one shot better than Rachel Borcherts of Long Beach, in the girls’ 13-14 at Mission Trails (5,175 yards). . . . Pasadena’s Charles Chen recorded a 53 at the par-57, 2,421-yard Pine Glen course at Singing Hills, to lead the the 11-12 boys in the first of three rounds. Luis Assemat of San Ysidro is tied for fifth at 55. . . . Amber Williams of Las Vegas shot 62 to lead the 11-12 girls on the same course adjusted to 2,209 yards and par 58. . . . James Oh of Lakewood fired a six-under 50 at Presidio Hills (par 56, 1,426 yards) to lead the 10-and-younger boys. David Antinone of Bonita is tied for third at even par and J.J. Killeen of San Diego is tied for fourth at 57. Mauricio Tamez of Garza Garcia, Mexico recorded a hole-in-one on the 10th hole. . . . Jessica Ortiz of Las Vegas, N.M., captured the early lead in girls’ 10-and-younger with a three-under 57 at Presidio.