Tiger Woods tied atop leaderboard at Cog Hill

Tiger Woods and Mark Wilson were in a tie for the lead Friday at the BMW Championship, two players who have every reason to feel right at home at Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill.

One practices on the course all the time. The other seems to win on the course all the time.

Woods made two solid par saves from deep bunkers early in his round, ran off three straight birdies at the turn and cashed in on enough good shots for a four-under-par 67 to put him atop the leaderboard for the first time since the PGA Championship.

Woods is a four-time winner at Cog Hill, including his most recent appearance two years ago in this championship.

Wilson, who birdied his final hole for a five-under 66, moved to Chicago about five years ago and was looking for a place to practice when club President Frank Jemsek gave him carte blanche at Cog Hill. Wilson now spends most of his time on the public golf course in the Chicago suburbs.

“This summer when I’ve been home, I’ve been primarily coming out here because I thought it made sense to get ready to see the new golf course,” said Wilson, alluding to the Rees Jones renovation.

They were at seven-under 135, and will play as a twosome for the first time since their championship match in the 1992 U.S. Junior Amateur in Massachusetts, where a 16-year-old Woods rallied from 2 down to win on the 18th hole.

Padraig Harrington (68) was one shot behind, along with Rory Sabbatini (70), Bo Van Pelt (69) and Marc Leishman of Australia, who overcame a rugged start and ended up with a 69.

Eagle gives Gal lead

Sandra Gal’s eagle on the 18th hole gave her a one-shot lead after the first round of the P&G; Beauty NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Ark.

Gal shot a seven-under 64 in the LPGA Tour event, and her uphill putt from about 15 feet on the final hole moved her past Song-Hee Kim and into the lead.

Brittany Lang, Pat Hurst and Angela Stanford are tied for third, another stroke back.

Walker Cup in L.A.

Los Angeles Country Club has been selected by the U.S. Golf Assn. to host the 2017 Walker Cup.

The competition will be held on the North Course, which opened in 1921.