Triplett leads with record round of 64

Forty-two-year-old Kirk Triplett closed with a birdie hat-trick to fire a course record eight-under-par 64 and grab a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Wachovia Championship on Thursday.

After taking three weeks off, world number one Tiger Woods shot a 69. World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji, who has won the last two weeks, carded a four-under 68.

Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden, Australia's Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini of South Africa and Brett Quigley tied for second place on 66.

Canadian Mike Weir, Notah Begay III, Heath Slocum, Cameron Beckman, Jay Delsing and Britain's Luke Donald finished three shots off the lead in a tie for sixth.

U.S. Masters champion Phil Mickelson recorded a 70 but title holder David Toms ballooned to a three-over 75.

Triplett has won twice on the PGA Tour, his last victory coming at the 2003 Reno Tahoe Open where he hit a final-round 63 to set the course record.

On Thursday, Triplett played a more difficult course at Quail Hollow Golf Club and performed almost as well as he did in the final round at Reno, making only one bogey at the par-four 16th.

The veteran American reeled off seven birdies and added a chip-in eagle from 66 yards on the par-five 15th.

"It just kind of felt like my day towards the end of the day," Triplett told reporters.

"I had hit a number of good shots and was playing nice golf. I birdied two and that got some momentum, those were my 11th and 12th holes."

Triplett, who has been on the tour 15 years, added: "I know I can put up the numbers that are necessary for me to make a living out here.

"Probably the same way that a Major League (baseball) pitcher goes, I know I can do it, I know how to get big league hitters out.

"I can't tell you how to do it, and I can't tell you how I do it, but I just know deep down inside that even if I hit some bad shots, play some bad rounds, have a bad stretch, I know it's in there, that I know how to do it."

While everyone struggled at last year's Wachovia, Toms shot only 10-under to win, 58 players were below par on Thursday.

Jacobson, Appleby and Sabbatini combined for 18 birdies and no bogeys. Although Quigley dropped a stroke, he covered up for it with an eagle.

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