GOLF

BEST ROUND OF A SHORT YEAR GIVES TIGER SHARE OF THE LEAD

Another streak ended for Tiger Woods yesterday, this one worth celebrating.

He finally broke 70 at Bay Hill.

Ending a peculiar drought at a tournament he won four straight times, Woods shot 6-under 64 in the Arnold Palmer Invitational for his first sub-70 round in three years to share the lead with Vaughn Taylor and Paul Casey.

Woods played his best golf in nearly six months, giving himself a birdie opportunity on all but one hole. He opened with four birdies in the first six holes, missing putts of 10 and 12 feet on the other two.

“It’s definitely the best round of the year,” Woods said, pausing for effect. “I haven’t played that many rounds.”

Even so, he could not remember the last time he hit 17 greens in regulation, especially on a Bay Hill course with ankle-deep rough framing the tight fairways.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WILLIAMS TO COACH TAR HEELS AFTER SISTER’S DEATH

Roy Williams was expected to coach North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament last night, one day after his sister’s death.

Williams’s sister died Wednesday night, a team spokesman said. The top-seeded Tar Heels were scheduled to play Eastern Kentucky in the East Regional on Thursday night.

Athletic director Dick Baddour said he thought the coach had remained with the team yesterday, and he expected Williams to be on the sideline to lead North Carolina against the Colonels.