FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD (US unless stated) -7 J Furyk, D Love -5 R Allenby (Aus), B Langer (Ger), MA Jimenez (Spa) -4 A Oberholser, B Crane, JM Olazabal (Spa), J Rollins, V Singh (Fij), B Van Pelt Selected others: -3 R Goosen (SA), T Bjorn (Den) -2 B Davis (Eng), P Mickelson, S Garcia (Spa), Lee Westwood (Eng) -1 D Howell (Eng), G Owen (Eng) Level M Campbell (NZ), C Montgomerie (Sco), E Els (SA), T Woods +1 D Clarke (NIre), P Harrington (Ire), L Donald (Eng)

Both players fired bogey-free rounds of 65 on a damp day in Florida to lead by two from Bernhard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Robert Allenby.

Jose Maria Olazabal and Vijay Singh were in a group on four under, one ahead of a large group that included Retief Goosen.

Tiger Woods was struggling at two over after eight but finished on level par.

The world number one birdied the second but then let shots go at the fourth, seventh and eighth, and in the end he needed a birdie on the 16th to get back to par.

I feel like taking my putter into the car park and giving it a right good thrashing Ian Poulter

"It just didn't quite happen today for some reason," said Woods. "My putting was erratic but I hit some good shots coming in. At least I found something out there today."

And Woods explained why he had missed practice the previous day - jetting off to California to visit his sick father Earl, who has been battling prostate cancer since 1998.

"My father wasn't feeling well," he said. "I needed to go out there and see him, try and turn his spirits around.

"He was happy to see me. He said: 'What the hell are you doing here?' It was good to hear that.

"My father is trying to hang in there, which is a very positive sign. He's fighting just like I'm trying to do out here."

Elsewhere at Sawgrass, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia were among a large number of players massing at two under par that included Brian Davis, who was the most impressive of the British contingent.

The Englishman made four birdies and two bogeys as he went round in 70 to finish on two under.

The in-form David Howell ended the day one under alongside Greg Owen, and one ahead of Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter and South Africa's Ernie Els.

"I feel like taking my putter into the car park and giving it a right good thrashing," said Poulter.

Owen is still coming to terms with the double-bogey, bogey finish that saw him throw away victory at the Bay Hill invitational last week.

"The players have been unbelievable," said Owen. "I am a foreigner in their country, but everybody has been saying 'well done.' They know what it's like.

"I still thought about it today. When I rammed in a short putt I said to myself, 'I told you it was easy.' Hopefully I'll become a better player because of it."

Luke Donald and Darren Clarke both shot 73 for one over, while Nick Faldo made a double bogey on the 15th as he struggled to a 76.