PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Tiger Woods says its way too early to hit the panic button. Then again, its too early by his standards to be getting up on a Saturday morning to play a PGA Tour event. But at least hes still playing. Already off to the slowest start of his career, Woods had to scramble on the back nine just to make the cut in the Honda Classic. Woods hit only two greens over his final nine holes. His lone birdie on the back nine was on the 13th hole, when he missed the green with a wedge and then chipped in for birdie. His par on the final hole gave him a 1-under 69 -- the first time in six rounds he had broken par at PGA National -- and left him 11 shots behind Rory McIlroy. Woods tees off at 7:38 a.m. Saturday. He should be done before the leaders even show up at the course to eat lunch. "Its a grind. Theres no doubt about it," Woods said. Golf looks anything but that to McIlroy, the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland who has yet to play a 72-hole tournament this season when he didnt have a chance going into the weekend. McIlroy ran off six birdies in a 10-hole stretch for a 4-under 66. He was at 11-under 129, one shot ahead of Brendon de Jonge, who had a 64. Woods began his year at Torrey Pines, where he his eight pro victories included a U.S. Open, and he didnt make it to Sunday. He failed to make the 54-hole cut (which kicks in when more than 78 players make the cut) and tied for 80th. Then it was off to Dubai, where he had won twice. He was never a factor and tied for 41st, his worst showing in seven appearances. Anything wrong? "Its only three events," Woods said, hiding his annoyance at the question. "So not that many rounds into it." Woods has played nine rounds of competition in the last three months. He has broken 70 only twice -- a 68 in the first round of Dubai and a 69 on Friday at the Honda Classic. Until this year, he had never started without at least one finish in the top 20. Woods wasnt ready to rule out a turnaround even this week. "I would like to obviously hit it better than I have been, and especially today. I didnt hit it very good today," he said. "But again, I fought out a number, which is always a good thing. Somehow would like to put together a good weekend. Were all bunched in there. Anything can happen this weekend." Being 11 shots behind in a 79-man field typically does not constitute one of those "anything can happen" weekends, though stranger things have occurred. Regardless, he looks to be miles away from the real action at the Honda Classic. And that starts with McIlroy. Boy Wonder won this tournament two years ago to reach No. 1 in the world for the first time. That was good. As the defending champion, he was so frustrated with his game and the mounting expectations that he walked off the golf course after 26 holes. That was bad. "This year is obviously a lot different," McIlroy said. "Got off to a good start. Im confident. Im playing well. This is the second straight tournament Ive opened with a 63. So if I can keep building on these good starts, then hopefully I can start converting." He was referring to Dubai, where he started with a 63 and then pressed too hard. As for getting off to a good start, he ostensibly meant his season. This will be the third straight stroke-play event of the year where he is a major presence on the weekend. Friday was another step in the right direction, despite errant tee shots on the 11th and 12th holes that led to bogeys. His round changed with a tee shot into 6 feet on the 16th hole for a birdie, and then a 12-foot birdie on the 18th to wrap up his front nine and earn back the two shots he had dropped. After a 45-foot birdie attempt on the second hole rimmed all the way around and out of the cup, Boy Wonder took off. He two-putted the par-5 third. He hit a wedge into 4 feet on the next hole. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt down the hill at the par-5 fifth. Then, after a tough par save on the sixth, he sank another 30-foot birdie putt that McIlroy made look routine. "Watching Rory play is amazing when hes swinging like this," Masters champion Adam Scott said. McIlroy is swinging freely and with confidence. He is starting to walk with a bit of swagger. From tee to green, his game looks solid. And on the green, it looks even better. McIlroy has taken only 49 putts through two rounds. "Thats probably the lowest putting total after 36 Ive probably had, maybe in my career," he said. "So its obviously going in the right direction." Adidas NMD R2 γυναικεια . Keenum will make his first appearance in a regular-season game against the rugged defence of the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, where the fans just set a Guinness record as the noisiest outdoor stadium in the world. Adidas NMD R2 γυναικεια . The announcement was made by the hall on Friday, March 14. She joins Switzerlands Denise Biellmann as this years inductees to the Hall, based in Colorado Springs, CO. http://www.nmdgreece.com/adidas-nmd-human-race-greece.html . Casey Janssen was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Adidas NMD R2 προσφορες . No, really, his head. Late in the game, the St. Louis goalie craned his neck into the air to block a shot, taking a puck square in the mask. Adidas Gazelle ελλαδα . Osmond, of Marystown, N.L., fell in the middle of her routine and placed fifth in the ladies free skate at Iceberg Skating Palace (110.73 points), but that was all the Canadians needed after a strong performance by Kevin Reynolds in the mens free earlier Sunday. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Danny Valencia was not about to let a sore left hand keep him from finishing his at-bat in the 13th inning. He gutted it out and came up with a key hit to help the Kansas City Royals outlast the Los Angeles Angels. Valencia ignited a three-run rally with a leadoff double, before Jarrod Dyson replaced him on the bases and scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by rookie reliever Mike Morin. The Royals went on to beat the Angels 7-4 Saturday night. "Were trying to win games and lay it all out there. Anybody else would have done the same thing," Valencia said. "Fortunately I got a hit there, because it would have looked even worse if I didnt." Valencia felt discomfort on two earlier swings and was checked out by manager Ned Yost and a trainer. After convincing them he was all right, he lined Morins 3-2 pitch off the fence in left-centre and slid headfirst into second. "There was a 3-1 pitch I fouled off and my hand slipped off the bat a little weird," Valencia said. "I told Ned: Theres no way Im coming out right now. He said: This is a big at-bat, and I said: I know its a big at-bat, but Ive got this. The first thought on my mind was not making someone come off the bench with a 3-2 count after sitting on the bench for four hours." Dyson scored when Morin (0-1) fielded Alcides Escobars sacrifice bunt and threw the ball past first base as second baseman Howie Kendrick ran over to take the throw. "I got to it quick and Howie was still getting to first base," Morin said. "I had more time than I thought I did, and I was trying to guide the ball to meet him at the bag, but it sailed on me." Nori Aoki then hit an RBI single and Billy Butler capped the scoring with his second sacrifice fly. Aaron Crow (2-1) pitched two innings for the victory and Greg Holland got three outs for the save, ending the 4-hour, 53-minute marathon. Eric Hosmer tied a season high with four hits. The Royals tied it in the seventh when Hosmer scored on a double-play grounder by Salvador Perez with the bases loaded. The run was charged to Sean Burnett, who faced only one batter and gave up Hosmers leadoff single through the box. It was Burnetts second appearance since his comeback from elbow surgery last August. Royals right-hander James Shields pitched six innings, giving up four runs and nine hits, including solo hoomers by Mike Trout and Erick Aybar.dddddddddddd "Thats a good hitting team over there. They grind out at-bats and they worked up my pitch count quite a bit today," Shields said. "But our bullpen did a phenomenal job. Its been good all season long, and today they showed why theyre as good as they are." Angels rookie Matt Shoemaker was charged with three runs -- two earned -- and eight hits in five innings while striking out six. The right-hander was making his third start since he was inserted into the rotation on May 13. The Angels were trailing 3-0 when Aybar got them on the board in the fourth inning with his third homer of the season, a line drive that just made it into the first row of seats in the right field corner after a leadoff double by Raul Ibanez. Los Angeles pulled ahead 4-3 with two runs in the fifth. Trout led off with a towering drive into the rock pile beyond the fence in left-centre, and Albert Pujols followed with another deep flyball that looked like it was going out as well. Left fielder Alex Gordon leaped above the bullpen fence and got his glove on it before it bounced off his cap, shoulder, chin and arm -- then landed in his glove while he was on the seat of his pants. Third base umpire Andy Fletcher ruled it a catch, but manager Mike Scioscia challenged the call and Pujols ended up with a double after a video review. "Somebody must have seen something on one of the angles," Yost said. "But on the replays we saw on the big screen, I sure couldnt tell if it hit the fence or not." It was the 2,400th career hit for Pujols, who took third on a groundout and scored the go-ahead run on Shields wild pitch to Aybar. A two-out error by Trout in centre field led to an unearned run during Kansas Citys two-run third. Aoki and Hosmer opened the inning with singles, and Aoki scored on Butlers first sacrifice fly. One out later, Perez hit a sinking liner that broke off Trouts glove as he charged the ball on the dead run, and Lorenzo Cain hit an RBI single. NOTES: Trouts error was his second this season, matching his total in 148 games in the outfield last year. ... Escobar has been successful on 43 of his last 44 stolen base attempts, including all 22 last season. ... For the second straight year, Trouts 10th homer of the season came against the Royals in his 47th game. ... Neither starting pitcher had a 1-2-3 inning. ' ' '