CALIFORNIA - Sweden's Henrik Stenson birdied three of the last four holes to move two shots clear in the first round of the golf Target World Challenge today.
The 30-year-old from Gothenburg, taking advantage of near-perfect conditions at a sun-drenched Sherwood Country Club, fired a flawless six-under-par 66.
US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy also got to six under but double-bogeyed the last for a 68 to share second place with world number one and tournament host Tiger Woods.
Big-hitting American John Daly was a further stroke back in a tie for fourth with compatriot Fred Couples and British duo Colin Montgomerie and Paul Casey.
New Zealand's Michael Campbell was 12th in the 16-man field after shooting a two-over round of 74, leaving him eight shots behind Stenson.
Woods, competing on US soil for the time since winning the Deutsche Bank Championship in early September, rattled up five birdies and a bogey on his way to a 68 but was unhappy with his performance on the greens.
"I hit it decent today but my speed on the greens wasn't very good," the 12-times major winner said.
"I had two three-putts out there and I had to make a few others to avoid further three-putts.
"I'll work on my putting this afternoon and hopefully it will be better tomorrow. I've got to get my speed under control for the rest of the week."
Champion in 2001 and 2004, Woods got off to a welcome start.
He struck his second shot at the par-four first to 30 feet below the hole but made the curling left-to-right putt to register his first birdie of the day.
The 30-year-old American rolled in a 12-footer at the par-four fourth to take the outright lead before picking up his third shot at the par-five fifth after reaching the green in two and two-putting.
Woods, who is bidding for his 11th title worldwide this year, parred the next four holes to enter the hilly back nine in a three-way tie for the lead.
Another birdie followed at the par-five 11th before he slipped back with a three-putt bogey at the 186-yard 15th.
Although he immediately hit back with his fifth birdie at the par-five 16th, he parred the last two holes to remain in second place.
Thirteen of the world's top 20 players are in this week's field, among them Ogilvy, Stenson, fourth-ranked Adam Scott, European No 1 Padraig Harrington, Campbell, Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal and twice winner Davis Love III.
