AKRON, August 5, 2011 (AFP) – Former World No. 1 Tiger Woods struggled to a one-over par 71 on Friday at the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational, his first event after an injury layoff of nearly three months.

Woods was on one-under 139 through 36 holes, seven strokes off the pace at Firestone Country Club, a course where he has won seven titles.
The event serves as a tuneup for Woods for next week’s PGA Championship at Atlanta, where the 14-time major champion will resume his quest to break the record of 18 major championships won by Jack Nicklaus.

Woods answered a bogey at the par-4 fourth with a birdie at the par-3 third but took a double bogey 6 on the sixth hole, a sting eased only slightly by his birdie at the par-3 seventh.

Bogeys at the 14th and 15th dropped Woods further back, but he responded with birdies on the next two holes before closing with a par.