Woods Sharp in Return--Verplank (62) Sharper

One bad swing cost Tiger Woods his first double bogey in 117 holes. Four weeks away from the game cost him hardly anything at all.

In his first tournament since winning the Masters, Woods showed little rust Thursday in a round of four-under-par 66 that left him four strokes behind leader Scott Verplank in the Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, Texas.

“Usually, you come out with low expectations [after a layoff], knowing the fact that generally you’re not going to always hit every putt where you’re looking,” Woods said. “I was able to do that most of the day, which is definitely pretty good.”

Verplank, who grew up in Dallas, did not have a bogey in blustery conditions and matched the best score of his career with a 62.

Masters runner-up David Duval, Chris Riley and Tim Herron were next at 64.

Both Verplank and Woods played on the Cottonwood Valley course. The TPC at Las Colinas is also in play this week. Both are par-70 courses.

Woods’ double bogey on the par-four, 394-yard eighth hole, after a wayward tee shot, was his first since he hit into the water on the island-green 17th in the second round of the Players Championship.

Within 15 minutes, the sour taste was out of his mouth. Woods hit a six-iron to about six feet at the par-three ninth, made birdie and the recovery process was underway.

“I felt pretty good in the way I played today--obviously, a lot better than I started out last year,” he said, referring to a three-over 73.

If Pat Hurst keeps this up, they may have to rename the Legends Club--or at the very least make her a member.

Hurst finally got her putter going as she set a course record with an eight-under 64 and held a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Electrolux USA Championship at Franklin, Tenn. She lowered her record set in the opening round last year.

“I just feel comfortable, and that is what is important,” said Hurst, who led wire-to-wire in winning this tournament in its debut. “I didn’t have any negative thoughts, and the more positive thoughts I have, the better I play.”

Sherri Turner also had eight birdies, but a lone bogey kept her from sharing the lead. Catriona Matthew, Jill McGill and Mhairi McKay all had 66s and five others were another stroke back.

Annika Sorenstam, looking for her sixth victory in her last seven tournaments, was five strokes back after a 69. Two-time player of the year Karrie Webb was among a group of six at 68 in her first LPGA tournament since the Nabisco Championship in March.

Hurst, winless since this tournament last year, had four birdies on each side. Her shortest birdie putt came on the 154-yard 16th after she hit an eight-iron to six feet. Her longest was on the par-four sixth when she left herself with 17 feet after an eight-iron from 162 yards.

Gil Morgan and Dave Stockton shot five-under 67s and shared the first-round lead at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Match Play Championship at Augusta, Mo.

The format for the tournament, formerly known as the Boone Valley Classic, calls for two rounds of stroke play followed by match play over the weekend for the top 16 golfers.

Two-time Boone Valley Classic champion Hale Irwin, a St. Louis native, was one shot back with a 68.