Woods is looking to match 'Jumbo' Ozaki's three straight wins

R1 LEADERBOARD (Jpn unless stated):
-5 S Katayama
-4 G Fernandez-Castano (Spa)
-3 T Woods (USA), H Sasaki, S Hirota, T Izawa, P Harrington (Irl)
Selected others:
Level I Poulter (Eng)
+3 J Rose (Eng)
+7 D Howell (Eng)

Tiger Woods began his quest for a third straight Dunlop Phoenix title with a solid three-under 67 to finish the first round two shots off the lead.

Woods made five birdies at the Phoenix Country Club course to share a five-way tie for third with Padraig Harrington and a trio of Japanese players.

Shingo Katayama heads the field after an opening 65, with Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano one shot back.

England's Ian Poulter carded 70, Justin Rose 73 and David Howell 77.

Woods had to apologise to Katayama after almost hitting him with a drive while the Japanese player lined up a putt on the 334-yard 13th hole.

"I didn't see the (warning) flags out on the fairway," admitted Woods.

"So I hit. I thought they were off the green - and they weren't. I apologised when I got up there."

Katayama, sporting his trademark cowboy hat, drained a succession of lengthy putts in a superb round that evoked memories of his Dunlop Phoenix triumph six years ago.

He said: "It doesn't matter if Tiger is playing or not - it's all the same to me.

"It's a wide open tournament, so I have to just try to keep the momentum going."

Japan's Toshimitsu Izawa, Satoru Hirota and Hisayuki Sasaki all returned opening rounds of 67 to match Woods and Harrington.