Tiger-less Isleworth trails at Tavistock Cup

Playing without world number one Tiger Woods, host Isleworth fell behind rival Lake Nona 6-4 after Monday's first round of the Tavistock Cup between US PGA players from private clubs.

England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose went seven-under par to beat Australian Nick O'Hern and American J.B. Holmes by four strokes after the rival clubs split the first four matches in the two-day tournament.

World number one Woods had considered playing in the event but said his preparations to return from a golf break in the wake of an infidelity scandal were not far enough along to allow him to compete.

Woods will make his comeback in two weeks at the Masters, the year's first major championship at Augusta National Golf Club.

Duos used a unique four-ball format on Monday with the two-person team with the low 18-hole better-ball total winning each two-point match.

In Tuesday's final round, a four-ball singles format will be used with each player in each group playing against each member of the opposing duo. Singles wins are worth one point with 20 points at stake on Tuesday for a total of 30.

Aussies Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby of Isleworth were five-under par to edge South Africans Ernie Els and Trevor Immelman by a shot in their match.

Isleworth moved ahead 4-0 when the US pair of Mark O'Meara and John Cook beat England's Ross Fisher and American Ben Curtis four-under to two-under.

But Lake Nona's comeback began when Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell and Sweden's Peter Hanson went seven-under to beat India's Arjun Atwal and US veteran Lee Janzen by five strokes.

The visitors equalized when South Africa's Retief Goosen and Sweden's Henrik Stenson went eight-under to down England's Brian Davis and American Charles Howell by four strokes, setting up the English duo's lead-grabbing triumph.

Isleworth leads the rivalry 3-2 with one drawn. ORLANDO, Florida, AFP