Woods satisfied with opening 70 at Quail Hollow

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, May 4 (Reuters) Tiger Woods, back in action for the first time since last month's Masters, was relatively happy with his opening two-under-par 70 at the Wachovia Championship yesterday.

The world number one, forced to contend with difficult gusting winds in the afternoon, ended an overcast day at Quail Hollow Club four strokes behind leader Padraig Harrington.

''I started out not that sharp, but I turned it around,'' Woods told reporters after mixing four birdies with two bogeys in firm, fast-running conditions.

''I thought I played pretty good from basically four on in. It got a lot harder in the afternoon. It cooled off a little bit and the humidity went, and it got really difficult out there.

''The wind was swirling in the trees, not a lot but just enough.

With these fairways being this hard and this fast and a little bit pitched and angled, it's really hard to hit some of them.'' Woods, who bogeyed the final hole after his approach was pushed over the back of the green by a sudden gust, has one eye on next week's Players Championship at Sawgrass.

''You've got to go out there and obviously try and win this golf tournament,'' the 31-year-old said. ''But you also want to keep building and making sure that you're progressing in the right direction.

''We've got a big week next week,'' he added, referring to an event widely regarded as the unofficial fifth major. ''Hopefully all the guys are trying to get ready and play well this week but also try and win next week.'' Woods, who has tied for third and 11th in his previous two appearances at Quail Hollow, is delighted to be back at the 7,442-yard course.

''You have to be able to work the golf ball both ways here, you can't just hit it just one way,'' he said.

''You've got to be able to shape the golf ball, and I think that's one of the neat tests about this golf course. We don't get a chance to play courses like this very often.'' REUTERS BJR PM0922