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Woods back on song

28/09/2006

Tiger Woods leads the World Golf Championships by a stroke after a storming first round that displayed all the trademark brilliance that his Ryder Cup performance lacked.

The American started at a blistering pace that saw him reach the turn in just 29 shots and finished his day draining a 20-foot eagle putt to sit one shot clear at the top of the leaderboard.

In hottest pursuit of the resurgent Woods are Ryder Cup opponent Padraig Harrington and Englishman Ian Poulter, while Stewart Cink and Ernie Els lie on six and five-under respectively.

"I hit the ball really well, birdied the par-five second and from then on I was in position to make quite a few birdies," Woods said.

"Some courses you feel comfortable on when you first play them," he admitted about the Grove in Hertfordshire.

Harrington confessed that his own form may well have been affected by last weekend's successful exertions.

"Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I was extremely tired. I played a practice round on Wednesday and it was the hardest 18 holes of golf I have had to play in terms of not wanting to be out on the course," he said.

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