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Tiger gets up early

Woods leads by 1 while Nicklaus hopes to make the cut.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - It was a day to break out the sweaters and turn back the clock. There were the clouds hanging over St. Andrews, with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson playing beneath them, cheered along with every step.

And there was that old veteran Tiger Woods, all of 29, looking much as he did here five years ago when he romped to victory at the Old Course.

Nicklaus and Watson were unable to duplicate their duels of years past, but the young legend who is attempting to smash their records put himself in position for a run at his 10th major championship, shooting 6-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead at the 134th Open Championship.

"I've been playing well and it's a continuation of it," said Woods, who has three victories this year on the PGA Tour, including the Masters. "My last three events I've really played well. I'm just trying to build on that."

Woods, who finished second last month at the U.S. Open, birdied seven of his first 12 holes Thursday, found two bunkers that led to bogeys on the back nine, then nearly drove the green at the par-4 18th, putting through the "Valley of Sin" for a tap-in birdie on the final hole.

He led Australia's Mark Hensby - top-five finishes at both previous majors this year - by one stroke, with 10 players just two shots behind at 68, including Retief Goosen, Fred Couples, Luke Donald, Jose Maria Olazabal and amateur Eric Ramsay of Scotland.

There were 40 players under par on a day that was relatively easy for scoring. The wind caused fits for some, and some rain fell in the afternoon. But by the time the round was coming to a close after 9 p.m. in Scotland, the sun was back out.

The worst weather would not have kept the masses away from Nicklaus, Watson and Donald, a trio that garnered most of the early attention.

Nicklaus and Watson have combined to win eight Open Championships, with Nicklaus winning two here. Donald, 27, is among a handful of hopefuls to break a British drought in majors that dates to Paul Lawrie's 1999 Open victory.

But while Donald put himself in contention, Nicklaus, 65, and Watson, 55, played like aging champions, both shooting 75.

"It was actually a very nice day," Nicklaus said. "Unfortunately, for Tom and myself, neither one of us did what we wanted to do."

Nicklaus will need a good score today to continue his major championship career into the weekend. This will be his last Open Championship and likely his final major.

In Nicklaus' farewell appearances at the 2000 U.S. Open, 2000 PGA Championship and 2005 Masters, Woods emerged victorious, as if a torch were being passed. Nicklaus feigned ignorance when asked if he was aware of Woods' fast start, then fessed up.

"I knew that," Nicklaus said. "That's not fast for him. That's just a normal start."

Woods was actually one stroke better than his first round at St. Andrews in 2000, when he blitzed the field and set the tournament record in relation to par with a score of 269, 19 under.

Although he found three bunkers Thursday, two of which led to bogeys on the back nine, Woods appeared in control. He hit 13 of 16 fairways and 14 of 18 greens. And he needed just 27 putts. In 2000, Woods managed to avoid all 112 bunkers through 72 holes and went on to win by eight strokes.

But Woods has plenty of firepower behind him, including Goosen, the two-time major championship winner ranked fifth in the world who rebounded from a final-round 81 at the U.S. Open.

"He obviously got off to a great start and that's what he needs," Goosen said. "I've been pretty much looking forward to this week. Pinehurst has been completely forgotten."

U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell and three-time major winner Vijay Singh were among a group of seven at 69, with Sergio Garcia and former Open champion Mark Calcavecchia at 70.

Two big names nowhere near the lead were Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, both of whom shot 74 and were eight back of Woods. Defending champion Todd Hamilton also shot 74.

"It's ominous who's on top of the board. Ominous. Unfortunately," said Scotland's Colin Montgomerie, who shot 71. "Not unfortunate for him, but unfortunate for me and the rest of the competitors stuck on one under and level par. If there's a course built for him, it's this one. He won by eight shots last time here and who says he won't do the same again."