Golf: Solid start for returning Tiger Woods as Jason Day takes early lead in Akron

TIGER Woods had to wait a while for his first birdie since The Masters in April, but after nine holes of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron he had not made a bogey either.

And, even if he was five adrift of Australian Jason Day at that point, the former world No 1's first event for 12 weeks was a distinct improvement on his last appearance.

Woods, out with knee and Achilles tendon injuries since he limped through nine holes of the Players Championship in mid-May in a six-over-par 42, looked like he would leave the magic to playing partner Darren Clarke over the opening half at Firestone.

Clarke, in the event thanks to his Open Championship triumph last month, sank his 183-yard approach for an eagle two on the eighth, but it followed three bogeys.

On his return to a course where he has won seven times, Woods's first two drives both finished in bunkers, as did Clarke's, but he was able to stay level par and then sank an 18-footer to keep it that way after going over the third green.

Chances of 12 and eight feet went begging on the next two holes, but he then got up and down from a bunker at the eighth and on the next rolled in a 20-footer to save his four after driving in the trees and then finding rough by the green.

However, as soon as he turned, Woods stepped it up a gear, nailing birdies at both the tenth and 11th holes to stand at two-under-par after 13 holes.

Day, runner-up in both The Masters and US Open this season, out-scored playing partner Phil Mickelson and England's world No 2 Lee Westwood by four in establishing an early three-stroke lead over a group which included 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink and Dane Thomas Bjorn.

Thereafter, Scotland's Martin Laird made his own surge up the leaderboard. In a round that featured an impressive seven birdies, along with one bogey and an unfortunate double bogey, Laird ended the round at four under.

Rory McIlroy, in his first start in America since capturing the US Open by eight shots in June, and world No 1 Luke Donald both returned 68s, while last year's US Open champion Graeme McDowell went to the turn in 32, but then stumbled home in 39 for a disappointing one over 71.

Day, not 24 until November, was off and running with a birdie on the tenth and picked up strokes at the 13th, 16th and 18th to turn in 31. Further birdies came on the long second and fifth before he finished his day's work in style with an 18-foot putt that stretched his advantage still further.

"It felt like it was a boring kind of a game - down the middle, on the green and every two or three holes a birdie," he said."I haven't been hitting it as good over the last couple months, but I hit it great today and I'm feeling really good about my game right now.

"I really enjoy playing against the best golfers in the world on the biggest stage. I've always wanted to play on the big stage and I'm finally here. Obviously I just want to keep the year going in the right direction. I don't want to go backwards."

McIlroy, who revealed on the eve of the event that he is almost certain to rejoin the PGA Tour next year, bogeyed two of his first four holes, but sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th - his eighth - and then burst into life on the outward half.

A 230-yard second shot to within six feet of the flag set up an eagle on the 526-yard second and he followed that with a birdie before parring his way in.

McIlroy commented: "It was a decent opening round. I've still got a little bit to work on, but 68 is not a bad start."

In contrast, McDowell ran up 6s at the second and 442-yard third after poor drives. The Ulsterman was partnering Westwood, who turned in a level par 35 before grabbing birdies at the first, second, fifth and sixth.

Westwood has started working with Dave Stockton on his putting and Bob Rotella on his mind, and said: "I'm not spending so much time over the ball. I feel like it freed my stroke a little bit. I catch myself a few times where I had to stand off it because I had taken too long over it.

"I got it right most of the time, it's just a case of practising it. A 67 is never anything to complain about around this golf course, even when there's not much wind and it's playing soft. I was pleased with the way I played."

Donald kept a bogey off his card, but had to settle for only two birdies at the tenth and second. He stated: "I could have gone a little bit lower if I had got the putter rolling a little bit better, but tee to green it was very solid. Hopefully I can see the lines a bit better tomorrow and make a few more putts."