Strong start puts Woods in second as Choi leads with 66

An opening round of 69 moved the former world No 1 into a share of second place in the 18-player field, alongside his fellow American Steve Stricker.

But, while Woods and Stricker had good cause to be satisfied with their rounds, KJ Choi almost made them look like first-day slouches as he carded a 66 to open up a three-shot lead.

Woods is without a tournament victory for two years and lost a play-off to Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell in this event 12 months ago.

However, he came into this week on a positive note having helped the United States to win the Presidents Cup after finishing third in the Australian Open last month.

Woods, who is also the tournament host, carried on where he left off at Sherwood Country Club with four birdies in his opening five holes to claim an early share of second place.

He birdied the first, second, fourth and fifth, but dropped a shot on the ninth to reach the turn in 33, three under par. He picked up further shots at the 13th and 17th on the way home, but bogeys at 15 and 16 meant there was no overall gain on the closing nine holes.

Choi also took advantage of the opening stretch to move into the lead, the Korean picking up birdies at each of his first five holes to reach the turn in 31. Further birdies at the long 13th and 16th holes followed, with the only blemish on his card a bogey at the par-three 15th.

Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar were also on three under alongside Woods at one stage, as was Australian Jason Day, but they fell away.

Furyk reached the clubhouse in one under, while Kuchar, who was briefly four under, had a triple-bogey eight on the 15th and finished on level par.

Day dropped to two over, having finished woefully, dropping five shots in his closing three holes by going seven-five-five.

The field are competing for a prize fund of $5million, with the winner receiving $1.2million.

Scotland’s Martin Laird had a round to forget, with three birdies but also eight bogeys in his five-over round of 77.

Even worse off was the only other European representative, Englishman Paul Casey. He had a triple-bogey eight at the second hole and a double-bogey six at the last in a seven-over 79 which put him last.