Toms & Waldorf lead, Woods 2 back

Tiger Woods began his British Open campaign with a sketchy 70 Thursday before fellow Americans Duffy Waldorf and David Toms and Sweden's Carl Pettersson set the first-round pace at four-under-par 67.

The 24-year-old Pettersson held the outright lead at five under with one hole to play but slipped back into a three-way tie when he pulled his tee shot at the 18th into the left rough and ran up a bogey-five.

World number one Woods struggled with his putter in calm conditions at Muirfield while his playing partners Justin Rose and Shigeki Maruyama fired matching three-under-par 68s to steal the early limelight.

England's Rose and Japan's Maruyama ended the day tied for fourth in a group of 12 that included world number two Phil Mickelson, former champions Nick Price and Sandy Lyle, 1996 U.S. Open winner Steve Jones and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

Pettersson, one of the late starters on the day, was not too disappointed to surrender the outright lead at the last.

"There's still a long way to go," said the United States-based Swede, who won his maiden European Tour title at the Algarve Open in April.

"I'm not too worried about it. I played nice today, only missed two fairways and holed a few putts."

The 39-year-old Waldorf, best known for his colorful selection of Hawaiian shirts, was level for the day after eight holes.

But the Californian picked up shots at the ninth, 12th, 14th and last holes to hold the clubhouse lead on his fifth Open appearance.

"I played pretty conservatively because there's a lot of high rough and the bunkers are very hard," Waldorf said.

"It was very important to put the ball on the fairway. I stayed in play today and that let me get my irons going."

Toms, the U.S. PGA champion, collected five birdies and a bogey to draw level with Waldorf late in the day as he chases his first title of the year.

"Maybe I'm just pacing myself. I've got close to a win this year but haven't won a golf tournament. This would be a good place to start."

Low scoring was expected in favorable conditions at the par-71 Scottish links course but Woods, chasing a third successive major title of the year, struggled on the slow-paced greens.

The American needed a total of 34 putts and missed eight birdie chances from between seven and 15 feet.

But Woods, who produced a mix of three birdies and two bogeys, was still reasonably satisfied with his round.

"I managed my way around the golf course pretty well today," he said. "Anything under par on this golf course is a good score and you're doing just fine.

"The greens have been slow here for the past week and we're not used to playing greens this slow."

Woods, who had to back away after being disturbed by a photographer on the first tee, made a shaky par-four at the 448-yard opening hole after pushing a two-iron well right into the thick rough.

The 26-year-old -- the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1972 to clinch the first two majors of the year with victories in the U.S. Masters and U.S. Open -- then wasted reasonable birdie opportunities at the next two holes.

He missed from seven feet at the par-four second and from 12 feet at the par-four third.

A two-putt from 25 feet earned him his first birdie of the day at the 560-yard fifth but he three-putted at the par-four sixth to drop back to even par.

Further birdies followed at the ninth and 11th holes but these were sandwiched around a bogey-five at the 475-yard 10th where Woods found the rough off the tee for the second time.

Woods then parred the last seven holes, lipping out for birdie at the 381-yard 12th and also missing good birdie opportunities on 14, 16 and 17.

Rose reeled off two birdies, an eagle-three at the ninth and a bogey at the par-four 10th during an impressive round.

"I really enjoyed it out here today, even though I knew there was going to be a bit of pressure," said Rose, who sprung to prominence as an amateur when he chipped in at the 18th to tie for fourth at the 1998 British Open.

"To be successful as well is a fantastic bonus.

"I didn't play as well on the back nine, which I think was a little bit more difficult today, but I'm happy overall," added Rose, who missed 21 consecutive cuts on the European Tour after turning professional four years ago.

Ryder Cup player Bjorn had produced a storming start with birdies at the first three holes and, after twice finding the rough at the 468-yard sixth to run up a double-bogey six, hit back with further birdies at the eighth and 10th.

A birdie at the par-four 12th moved him to four under but he slipped back with his third bogey of the day at the 546-yard 17th.

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