Colin Montgomerie leads with flawless 64

After waiting almost two years for a win Britain's Colin Montgomerie launched his bid for a second title in as many weeks on Thursday, charging into the first round lead at the WGC American Express Championships.

The Scot shot a flawless six-under 64.

Riding the momentum from his victory at the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, a weary Montgomerie carried his form from St Andrews, one of the world's most prestigious golf clubs, to Harding Park -- a newly renovated municipal layout -- forging a three shot lead over a group of 11 players led by world number one Tiger Woods.

"It was a good week, a fabulous week for any Scot holing the winning putt at St Andrews," said Montgomerie, still searching for his elusive first U.S. PGA Tour win.

"It was my first win in 19 months and after a while you start to feel 'have I had my last win?' and then you go out and win one again.

"But eight hours time difference, it's always difficult to win and come back to America. I'm just going to relax now and try and catch up on some sleep."

Playing the back nine first, Montgomerie started with five birdies on his outward nine, including three straight from the 16th to reach the turn at five-under 30.

But the 42-year-old Scot could not sustain the tempo carding six consecutive pars before registering the only birdie on his finishing nine at the par-four seventh.

"You think no bogeys, that's the good thing," said Montgomerie. "No bogeys, that's what I'm interested in."

Woods, showing no signs of discomfort from a nagging rib injury that had bothered him through much of the Presidents Cup two weeks ago, opened his bid for a record 10th WGC individual title in solid fashion returning a three-under 67.

"I'm pleased," said Woods, who can count a win at the WGC Invitational in August among his five titles this season. "I'm not where I need to be but I'm better than I was."

Also playing the back nine first, the world number one got his day off to the best possible start with a birdie at the first and was enjoying an error-free day until a bogey on the par-three eighth dropped him down the leaderboard.

The U.S. Masters and British Open champion was in trouble off the tee when his shot found the greenside rough. He chipped to within five-feet of the cup but two-putted for his only bogey on an otherwise blemish free start.

The first day of the $7.5 million event was like a homecoming for the 10-time major winner, who attended university at nearby Stanford and had some of his former-room mates in the gallery.

"This is like a home event for me," said Woods. "A lot of my friends were watching me play today.

"This is very familiar to me, some of my room-mates are out there. It's always nice to be back."

Joining Woods at three-under were world number two Vijay Singh of Fiji, number six Sergio Garcia of Spain and former British Open champions Mark Calcavecchia and John Daly, who tumbled down the leaderboard after bogeys on his final two holes.

Britons Ian Poulter and David Howell along with Australia's Rob Pampling and Americans Olin Browne, Fred Funk and Chad Campbell added to the congestion at three-under.

"You can score very low here, or at least you think you can score low here," said Singh. "But the greens are hard to read, really tough."

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