Woods cards 2-under 70 in finishing delayed first round

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) _ Tiger Woods has been having fun off the golf course. On Friday, he started to enjoy himself on it, too. Woods birdied two of the last six holes of

Friday, March 5th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) _ Tiger Woods has been having fun off the golf course.

On Friday, he started to enjoy himself on it, too.

Woods birdied two of the last six holes of the delayed first round of the Dubai Desert Classic for a 2-under 70. The first round was completed Friday after being stopped by darkness on Thursday with half the field still to finish.

His round put him six strokes behind leader Bradley Dredge, who had an 8-under 64 in a round he completed Thursday.

Scott Drummond of Scotland finished his round Friday with a 67 to tie European Tour regular David Howell, who shot a 67 on Thursday. Four players were in at 68: Richard Green of Australia, Frenchman Rapael Jacquelin, Paul McGinley or Ireland and England's Simon Dyson.

Two other favorites finished the $2 million event just off the pace. World No. 3 Ernie Els shot a 2-under 70 and Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland carded a 72.

Woods dropped short birdie putts on 17 and 18 _ and missed a 6-footer on 15.

``I felt if I could get 2 or 3 under par in this round it would be a good start,'' Woods said. ``I got 2. If I would have hit the putts harder, they would have gone in. They were on line, it's just the pace was dying off at the holes. The greens look faster than they are because they are so smooth.''

On Wednesday, Woods traveled secretly to the Persian Gulf to entertain the crew of the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington.

Woods and fellow American pro Mark O'Meara flew to the tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain and then boarded a military jet to the carrier for a 1 1/2-hour exhibition.

``They are out there putting their lives on the line and it's the least we could do to go out and put a little smile on their face,'' Woods said. ``We only wish we could have spent more time with them.''

Woods was even-par through 12 holes, which included a double-bogey 7 on the 10th. When play was suspended, Woods had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 13th, which he missed when play resumed.

Woods, who has been paid $3 million to play, showed he was angry with himself several times. On the 13th tee, he lifted the club over his head after a poor drive, swinging for the ground like a woodchopper.

After birdies at the fourth and ninth to go 2-under, Woods got into trouble on the 549-yard 10th.

He pushed his tee shot far right, then hooked a second provisional drive into trouble. Playing the provisional, his next shot found a greenside bunker.

Security was tight but low-key. Tournament officials said about 60 to 70 plainclothes police escorted Woods around the 7,264-yard, par-72 Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club.

In Woods' only other appearance in the tournament in 2001, Thomas Bjorn and Woods were tied for the lead after the 71st hole, and Bjorn won when Woods double bogeyed the final hole.

Dredge, the surprise leader, had six birdies and dropped a 30-foot putt for an eagle on the 18th _ his ninth hole.

In playing his third European Tour event this season, Dredge said he used the other two in South Africa ``as practice rounds'' and carded a 63 in one of them.

Els, the runner-up in Dubai last year, hasn't played since he won the Heineken Classic in Australia four weeks ago.

``I made some mistakes,'' Els said. ``I guess that is a little bit of rust, especially with my short game. I missed quite a few putts, but all in all I'm happy with it.''