Hamilton leads as Woods battles injury

Champion Tiger Woods battled through back pain to stay in touch with the lead as fellow American Todd Hamilton set the pace in the WGC-American Express Championship first round on Thursday.

British Open champion Hamilton fired a six-under-par 66 to move a stroke clear at Mount Juliet, spoiling a run of four successive birdies from the 14th with a bogey at the last.

Three-times winner Woods, who took painkillers and needed occasional on-course back rubs by his caddie Steve Williams, returned a 68 for a share of eighth place.

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, a four-times winner on the 2004 European Tour, carded a 67 to tie for second, alongside compatriot Sergio Garcia, Briton Luke Donald, American left-hander Steve Flesch and Australians Stuart Appleby and Adam Scott.

"If you can't putt on these greens, you just can't putt, because these greens are spectacular," said the 38-year-old Hamilton, this week competing in only his sixth event since he beat Ernie Els in a playoff for the British Open in July.

"I putted well all day, but then bogeyed the last where I didn't hit a very good drive. I think that hole is probably going to be played as the toughest for the whole tournament.

Woods, bidding for his first strokeplay title since his two-shot victory in last year's American Express Championship at Woodstock, Georgia, had been a doubtful starter after playing just seven holes of practice on Wednesday.

The eight-times major winner injured his shoulder last week after sleeping awkwardly on a flight to Orlando and only decided to play after a warm-up session before the round.

"The guy never gives up, and that's why he's the champion he is," Hamilton said.

Woods said it was "the most hurt I've ever played."

"I was hoping the spasms would go way, but that didn't happen," he said. "I just had to get through it somehow and post a number.

"I figured if I could just get the ball on the green somehow, the way I'm putting, I could get it round under par.

"Whenever the shoulder blade goes back and contracts, I get unbelievable shooting pain, usually right at contact and just beyond it," added the American, who at times bent over in agony after completing a shot.

"I'm getting it worked on now so I feel better tomorrow. I'm just trying to get to tomorrow. Hopefully each day it will feel better."

World number two Woods, who gave tournament organisers a welcome boost when he decided to play, made a fast start with birdies at the first two holes and then picked up further shots at the eighth and ninth.

Although he winced on several occasions after hitting tee shots, the 28-year-old holed a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-four ninth to move into a share of the early lead.

Further birdies on 11 and 17 were offset by bogeys at 12 and at the last as he slipped back to four under overall.

Among the other big names in the field, U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen fired a 68, fellow South African and world number three Ernie Els posted a 69 and fourth-ranked Davis Love III battled to a 74.

Following heavy rain earlier in the week, preferred lies were in operation.

This week's tournament had already been hit by the withdrawal on Monday of world number one Vijay Singh after his Florida home suffered hurricane damage.

Fijian Singh would have been the hot favourite in Ireland after winning eight times on this year's PGA Tour, including five of his last six starts.

U.S. Masters champion Phil Mickelson and Canada's Mike Weir are also absent but the 68-strong field features 44 of the world's top 50.

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