Tiger Woods found it strange that he could shoot a 29 after nine holes and not even be the best in his own threesome. It was even more remarkable that no one was terribly surprised with his 61 today in the GTE Byron Nelson Classic.

The pins looked like they belonged on the Senior PGA Tour and young guns like Woods and 19-year-old Sergio Garcia took aim.

Woods assaulted the Cottonwood Valley with nine birdies and no bogeys. It was his lowest score as a professional and the lowest first round on the PGA Tour in eight years -- but it was only good enough for a one-stroke lead.

Garcia, playing only his second tournament as a professional and first in America, had a chance to match Woods until a bogey on the 18th hole on the TPC at Las Colinas dropped him to 62, tied with Paul Goydos and Steve Lowery.

Corey Pavin, continuing to show signs of getting back to his U.S. Open championship form, was at 63, along with Justin Leonard and Nick Price.

Woods's 61 tied the tournament and course record set by Ernie Els when he won in 1995.

"It's always fun when you can really get it going like this," Woods said.

He wasn't alone, and he didn't have to look far to find how easy the conditions were today -- mild temperatures, sunny skies, barely a breath of wind, soft greens and pins that were generously cut away from the fringe.

Woods played with Goydos, who had a 28 at the turn.

"I hit it in the water on one hole," Goydos said.

Nick Price had the worst score in the group. He had a 30.

"Granted, par is 34 (on the front)," Woods said. "But it still was kind of strange when you shoot 29 and you're not leading in your own group."

Garcia caused one of the biggest stirs of the day with eight birdies on his first 15 holes, and was in the middle of the fairway with a 4-iron in his hand on the par-5 16th. A 59 crossed his mind, but slipped away when he hit into a bunker and had to settle for par.

"A 62 is OK," he said.

It was his lowest round in a tournament and must have made the 23-year-old Woods feel like an aging veteran.

Garcia is hailed as the next great amateur to turn pro early, and has drawn comparisons to his Spanish mentor, Seve Ballesteros. They also talk the same game -- Garcia isn't in Texas to gain experience, but to win.

"I would like to win this week," he said. "My goal is to try to play good and make my card on this tour."

He also wants to earn his card on the European Tour, where he also has only seven events left to earn enough money. He made his debut in the Peugeot Spanish Open last month and tied for 25th.

The 61 by Woods wasn't his best score as pro, at least in relation to par. He had a 10-under 62 in the third round of the Buick Invitational in San Diego, his only victory of the year.

"I actually played better here, but I putted better there," Woods said.

Whatever the case, Woods was in typical post-Masters form. He was fresh off a three-week break after a tie for 18th in the Masters and the following week in the MCI Classic. Woods said he didn't touch a club for 10 days, although he started working hard on his game in the days leading up to the Nelson.

"The only thing you worry about is the fact that you haven't been tournament tested," Woods said.

Not that Cottonwood Valley or the TPC at Las Colinas course was much of a test -- 103 players in the field of 156 managed to break par.

"It's playing about as easy as it's ever going to play," Lowery said. "We've been playing some rock-hard greens. And we really haven't had much rain this year, so it's nice to play where the ball stops when you hit it in there."

The last time anyone had a 61 in the first round was Robert Gamez in Milwaukee and Marco Dawson in Chattanooga in 1991. Neither of them went on to win.

And it probably won't be that easy for Woods this time.

AP