FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD -4 Woods (US), Singh (Fij), Stenson (Swe) -3 DiMarco (US, Love (US), Dougherty (GB) -2 Appleby (Aus), Garcia (Spa), O'Hern (Aus)

Woods set the pace with a 66 and was joined on four under by Singh and unheralded Swede Henrik Stenson.

England's Nick Dougherty bogeyed the 18th and is a shot further back with Chris Di Marco and Davis Love.

Phil Mickelson, fresh from his USPGA victory, is tied for 10th on one under with England's Luke Donald.

They are a shot behind Spain's Sergio Garcia and Australians Stuart Appleby and Nick O'Hern.

World number one Woods, who was in the first group out, has enjoyed a great run in the event in recent years.

In six previous stagings, the world number one has finished first, first, first, fourth, fourth and second.

"I always love old-style courses - no tricks, no elephant burial grounds to putt over," said the world number one.

"But Firestone can be brutally hard. When it gets fast the fairways are tough to hit because of the angles."

Colin Montgomerie was paired with Mickelson and returned a level par 70 - the same score as Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who finished tied for second at the USPGA, and England's David Howell.

But several other Europeans struggled with the course.

Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter shot 73s, Stephen Dodd and Stephen Gallacher had 74s, Paul Casey a 75 and both Darren Clarke, winner on the course two years ago, and Padraig Harrington slumped to six over.

Montgomerie said: "I only hit five or six fairways, so it was very good considering.