Woods Ends Slump With Nine-Under 63

Tiger Woods tied a course and tournament record with a nine-under-par 63 Thursday, taking a two-stroke lead at the 100th Western Open.

It was his lowest round of the year, and his best since he shot a 63 in the final round of the Disney Golf Classic last October.

Woods is the 13th player to shoot 63 at the Western -- a tournament he has won twice -- and the first since 2000.

Talk that Woods was in a slump was building even before the U.S. Open. After winning three of his first four events this year, he wasn’t a factor at the Masters and wasn’t in contention at his next two tournaments.

But it was a disappointing weekend at the Open that really got the chatter going. He struggled with a balky putter all week, and never made the charge fans expected. For the first time in four years, he didn’t own a title from one of the four major championships.

Woods insisted Wednesday that his game was fine -- and he more than backed that up Thursday. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, and 15 of 18 greens. And that putter that’s given him so much trouble? He needed only 27 putts for the day.

He’s two strokes ahead of David Toms, who shot a seven-under 65. Defending champion Jerry Kelly shot a 66.

Starting on the back nine, Woods gave notice early that he meant business, making a 24-footer for eagle on the par-five 11th.

He pointed at the hole as the ball dropped into the cup, and the crowd erupted into cheers of “Eagle! Eagle!”

As dazzling as his round was, it could have been even more impressive. He missed four birdie putts within 10 feet, as well as a five-footer for par.

Toms made five birdie putts of 15 feet or longer, including a 20-footer on 18. He had only 25 putts for the round.

Masters champion Mike Weir looked as if he was going to make a charge with making four straight birdies after a rain delay.

But his drive on 18 landed in a triangle of bunkers behind some trees on the right side of the fairway and he made a double-bogey to finish at 67.