Tiger Woods sets first day pace

Tiger Woods birdied four of the last six holes for a seven-under-par 65 and a one-shot lead in the first round of the WGC-American Express Championship on Thursday.

The world number one, back in action after a three-week break, picked up three shots on his first nine and four more after the turn as he made the most of a calm day of sunshine at the par-72 Mount Juliet course.

That put him one clear of 2001 U.S. PGA champion David Toms and fellow American Steve Lowery, who chipped in twice during his round on his way to four birdies and an eagle-three at the 552-yard fifth.

Defending champion Mike Weir of Canada also made the most of the benign conditions, bouncing back from a faltering start to fire a 67 and share fourth place with Americans Chris DiMarco and Jerry Kelly, twice major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji, 2001 U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and England's Gary Evans.

A further stroke back was a group of eight including twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, Americans Justin Leonard, Kenny Perry and Scott Verplank and Swedish Ryder Cup player Niclas Fasth.

The bearded Lowery, who finished 12th in last year's final U.S. Ryder Cup standings, paid tribute to his short game after pitching in for an eagle from 35 yards at the par-five fifth and chipping in from the fringe for a birdie-four at the eighth.

"That's probably the easiest this course is going to play, I think, with the conditions the way they are today," said the 41-year-old, who has finished in the top-10 in five of his last six starts.

"I've been putting really well and driving the ball well the last few weeks but today it was all about my short game and my wedge shots. Today was the best short game I've had all year."

STRONG FINISH

The 32-year-old Weir, who won the 2000 title at Valderrama in Spain by two shots from England's Lee Westwood, was delighted to finish at five under after beginning his round poorly.

"I wanted to get off to a great start in this tournament but it didn't happen early on," he said after sandwiching a pair of bogeys around a birdie-two at the 175-yard third.

"I found the water at the second, three-putted on four and missed a couple of close birdie putts on five and six.

"Although I made nice putts for birdies at seven and eight, I reached the turn at one under and felt I had let a few slip away.

Weir, who has not won a title anywhere in the world since his victory at last year's Tour Championship, picked up further shots on 10, 11, 17 and at the last to end his day in style.

"It feels great. The last few weeks I've been striking the ball nicely and I kept that flow today and hit the ball pretty well," said the left-hander, who has not finished in the top-10 on the U.S. PGA Tour this season.

"Even though I won this title two years ago and on a different golf course, I still do feel like the defending champion."

The tournament was not held last year because of the September 11 attacks in the United States.

"The key for me today was really solid ball-striking and good iron shots," Weir added. "Hopefully I can make this count and have a chance on Sunday."

The WGC-American Express Championship, which carries a total prize fund of $5.5 million, is the third WGC event of the year after February's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and last month's WGC-NEC Invitational.

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