Bart Bryant leads after opening 62

American Bart Bryant fired a masterful course record eight-under 62 to grab the spotlight from his more illustrious peers and the first round lead at Tour Championship on Thursday.

Bryant, a 42-year-old journeyman making his first appearance in the U.S. PGA Tour's invitation-only season finale, showed he belongs in the elite 29-player field with an error-free performance that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.

He was two shots clear of defending champion Retief Goosen of South Africa and three in front of Kenny Perry.

World number one Tiger Woods, the winner of six events this season including the Masters and British Open, looks primed for a big finish to his season, battling to a four-under 66 alongside Spain's Sergio Garcia.

American Charles Howell III, runner-up in both 2002 and 2003, leads a group of three players at three under that includes compatriot Scott Verplank and South African Tim Clark.

Bryant, who collected his second career victory with a win at the Memorial tournament in June, had a solid outward nine at the East Lake Golf Club hitting three birdies.

But it was a scorching finish that included three consecutive birdies from the 11th and an eagle three on the par-five 15th that gave Bryant the course record, bettering the 63 set by Fiji's Vijay Singh in 1998.

"People try to pound it into my head, 'you belong, you belong,'" said Bryant. "If I go out and shoot three more 62s maybe I'll believe it.

"I told the other guys I don't think I'll ever believe it in my head."

Goosen, who has been struggling since a nagging groin injury forced him out of the WGC American Express championships last month, turned in an impressive performance mixing eight birdies, including five on the front nine, with a pair of bogeys.

"I hit it pretty well out there today, I was always up there putting for birdie so obviously I have good feel for the greens here," said the world number four. "You need to putt well around this course and that's what I did today."

Woods, back in action for the first time since missing the cut at the Funai Classic, was again not at the top of his game but was at his gritty best as he clawed his way to a 66.

While Woods spent too much of his round working himself out of trouble, he still produced a brilliant first nine that featured five birdies.

The 10-times major winner's troubles escalated on the inward stretch that included two bogeys and a single birdie but still left him in the thick of the title chase.

"If you would have asked me if I would have shot 66 today, I would have been happy with it," said Woods, the 1999 winner.

"All in all it's a good start to the tournament, there's a long way to go and I'm only four back."

While Woods sizzled on the first nine his playing partner world number two Singh fizzled.

Mired in a late season funk that has seen him fail to make the cut in his last two starts, Singh was unable to break out of his slump, staging a late rally to get to one-under 69.

The Fijian got his round off to a stuttering birdie-bogey-bogey start then reeled off 10 straight pars before finding birdies of the day at 14 and 17.

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