Norman & Furyk share lead

Greg Norman and Jim Furyk each posted rounds of five-under-par 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Two-time defending champion Tiger Woods, who has finished outside the top-10 for a career-long five consecutive weeks, got on track Thursday with a four- under 66 and is tied for third with three European Ryder Cup members, Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.

"I've been working on a few things in my golf swing and it's starting to come together," said Woods, who played the 18th hole last year in almost complete darkness. "That's part of the game, you get a little off. Unfortunately I got off during three majors and I didn't play as well as I wanted to."

Norman matched Furyk at five-under at the long par-five 16th. He played a nine-iron to 15 feet and sank the birdie putt, then took the outright lead at the next hole when he holed a 30-footer to get to minus-six.

Norman lost the lead and fell into a tie with Furyk at the closing hole after his drive found the trees and he was forced to pitch out into the fairway. Norman used a pitching wedge and hit it 12 feet from the hole on the fringe, but he missed the par save to drop into the tie.

"This is as confident and as good as I've felt in two years," Norman said.

The 46-year-old has not played as much golf in recent years, but that does not mean he does not think he can still win.

"The only reason why I'm out here playing is I still believe I can," said Norman, a two-time British Open champion. "Even in the down times, like the middle of this year, or the last couple of years, I've never lost sight of that."

Furyk carded back-to-back 15-foot birdies at four and five, but picked it up on his back nine.

At 13, Furyk hit a six-iron to 15 feet to set up birdie and three holes later he chipped in from the rough to pick up his fourth birdie of the round. He drained a 25-foot birdie putt at the last to take the clubhouse lead.

"I'm obviously very happy," said Furyk, who will be playing in his third consecutive Ryder Cup in a month. "Sixty-five is a great score on this course."

Woods drained a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 8, then reeled off three straight birdies, starting at 14, to get within one of the lead.

The two-time defending champion suffered a bout of food poisoning that allowed him to play only three holes in Wednesday's practice round.

"I was able to somehow get out there and not lose my lunch," said Woods, who along with Furyk, were the only players not to card a bogey on Thursday.

Ian Poulter, hoping to make the European Ryder Cup team, joined Ernie Els, Paul Azinger and PGA Championship runner-up Phil Mickelson at minus-three.

PGA champion David Toms posted a two-under 68 in round one.

This event features an elite field consisting of Americans who will be in the 2001 Ryder Cup, members of the U.S. and International 2000 Presidents Cup teams and the top-12 in the European Ryder Cup standings.

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