LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Stewart Cink was part of a five-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the National Car Rental Classic Thursday while Tiger Woods scrambled just to finish within four shots of the top spot in his first PGA Tour appearance in five weeks.
Fourteen players were within two shots of the lead, but Woods was not amogn them as he fired a 3-under 69 that left him in a tie for 31st.
Cink, Scott McCarron, Steve Lowery, Len Mattiace and Shaun Micheel shot 7-under 65s. PGA champion David Toms, Vijay Singh and Mike Weir were in a group of seven at 66.
While several players scramble to get their families around in Disney World this week, many also are scrambling to keep tour cards or make the lucrative Tour Championship.
Among them is Micheel, who entered the week 145th on the money list with $277,507 -- nearly $100,000 less than the amount needed to get into the top 125 that retain their playing privileges for 2002.
Cink, McCarron and Lowery all are trying to hold onto one of the final 30 spots for the season-ending Tour Championship in two weeks.
While he is a member of the United States Ryder Cup team, Cink is just 28th on the money list with $1,584,696. Kevin Sutherland is 31st with $1,513,934 and was tied for 31st at this event following a 69.
McCarron is 26th on the money list, one spot behind Lowery.
Woods was 4-under through eight holes, but hit his tee shot into the water on the par-4 ninth at the Palm Course and made a double bogey. He also bogeyed the 18th.
