Woods struggling after poor show at Deutsche Bank Championship

WORLD No.1 Tiger Woods was facing an uphill battle to stay in the $7.5 million Deutsche Bank Championship last night after a one-over 72 meant he finished the first round ahead of only five players in the 99-man field at Boston TPC, the second instalment in the lucrative FedExCup playoff series.

Woods, currently ranked 65th in the FedExCup standings, needs to finish in the top 70 after the Deutsche Bank Championship to advance to the third round of the series at next week's BMW Championship at Cog Hill outside of Chicago.

"I just didn't have it today," he said. "I wasn't really doing what I was supposed to be doing swing-wise and wasn't releasing the putter blade. It was a bad day all around.

"I'm obviously going to have to shoot something pretty good tomorrow."

After crashing to four-over after six holes, Woods salvaged his round amid intermittent afternoon drizzle coming from the outer bands of Hurricane Earl, but conditions were by no means difficult with just a light breeze wafting across the course.

Woods has yet to win this season but had appeared to have found some form after finishing a respectable 12th at the Barclays tournament, days after announcing his divorce from Swedish wife Elin.

Australia's Jason Day and American Zach Johnson shot eight-under 63s to take a one-stroke lead into the second round. They enjoyed playing together in dry morning conditions and notched a combined 23-under with Ryan Palmer in their threesome.

"We kind of fed off each other," said Day, who compiled ten birdies.

Ireland's Rory McIlroy and England's Brian Davis finished the first round one shot off the lead. The pair struck seven-under-par 64s to form part of a group of eight players tied for second behind Johnson and Day.

McIlroy's round featured five birdies and an eagle and Davis was level with McIlroy after closing with an eagle three, added to five birdies.