Justin Rose & Dean Wilson set pace with 64s

Briton Justin Rose and American Dean Wilson set the pace in the Nissan Open first round while Tiger Woods battled against flu to a three-under-par 69 on Thursday.

Rose and Wilson delivered blemish-free performances on their way to matching 64s at the prestigious Riviera Country Club, which has traditionally rewarded shot-makers as well as the big hitters.

"The good thing about this golf course is that you tend to hit your whole bag, you hit everything from a wedge to a three-iron," Englishman Rose told reporters.

"I don't necessarily think it suits one type of player or another. That's why I think it's such a great golf course."

Twice champion Fred Couples, like Woods battling a fever, shot a 66 to share third place with fellow Americans Billy Mayfair, the 1998 winner, and Bob Estes, plus Sweden's Jesper Parnevik.

Australia's Adam Scott who won last year's rain-hit tournament after just two rounds, was a further two strokes back in a tie for 16th after dropping shots at two of his last three holes.

Of the other big names in the field, 1999 winner Ernie Els produced a 70 on his first PGA Tour start of the year and twice champion Mike Weir carded a 71.

Eight players in the 144-strong field, including Frenchman Thomas Levet at three under with one hole remaining, were still out on the course when the first round was suspended at 1750 local (0050 GMT) because of darkness

World number one Woods, chasing his third successive victory, mixed six birdies with two dropped shots and a double-bogey at the par-three fourth.

"I was just disgusted with how I felt," Woods said. "I was wishing my head would clear up, wishing this fever would break. It's not going to happen.

"Considering everything, though, I will take a 69 in a heartbeat. Give me anything, under par is a good score."

Woods, who won his first start of the year at the Buick Invitational in San Diego in January, beat Els at the first extra hole to clinch the Dubai Desert Classic the following week.

Rose, playing his third full season on the PGA Tour, made the most of near-perfect conditions with a seven-birdie display.

After teeing off at the 10th, the 25-year-old picked up shots on 11, 12 and 16 to reach the turn in three-under 33.

Further birdies followed on one, four, six and eight, where he almost holed out with a nine-iron approach.

"I'm really happy to go out there early and get off to a good start," Rose said. "I just kept picking off birdies at nice times in my round to keep the momentum going.

"I drove the ball better today than I have all year and I have felt good enough to win at any time over the last few months."

Hawaiian Wilson, like Rose yet to win on the PGA Tour, produced error-free golf in his sixth start of the season.

The Las Vegas-based professional drove the green at the 315-yard 10th, his opening hole, to set up a two-putt birdie and picked up six more shots with sparkling approach play to join Rose at the top of the leaderboard.

"I played really nicely today," said the 36-year-old. "I seem to prefer courses where there is a little more shot-making involved because I'm not one of the long hitters who can just bomb it 340 yards down the fairway.

"The first nine holes, I played really well," added Wilson. "I don't think I missed a fairway or green. I had some good momentum to build on."