Tiger Woods gave Australian golf fans a taste of what they have been missing over the last decade by shooting a six-under-par 66 for a share of the first round lead at the Australian Masters Thursday. Woods, playing in Australia for the first time in 11 years, thrilled galleries packed six-deep on each hole, notching seven birdies for a one-stroke lead with South Africa's Branden Grace and Australian James Nitties. “I felt pretty good today, I hit the ball pretty decent. I didn't get my irons that close but took advantage of the par fives,” the world No. 1 told reporters at the co-sanctioned A$1.5 million ($1.4 million) tournament. Taking advantage of benign morning conditions, the 14-time major champion attacked Kingston Heath's greens and had little trouble reaching on the course's longer holes. He picked up four birdies in five holes coming in to the clubhouse. South African Grace is playing to keep his European Tour card and the 21-year-old threatened to upstage Woods by sinking six birdies in eight holes in a scintillating mid-round burst. However, he was left to rue a bogey on the 17th after edging into a one-stroke lead over Woods. After a patient run of four pars, Australian Nitties sparked his round to life with an eagle on the par five 14th, his fifth hole, and adding four birdies on his way to a bogey-free round. He joined Woods and Grace a stroke above Australians Cameron Percy and Doug Holloway, who shot matching 67s. Adam Scott is five strokes off the pace after shooting a one-under 71. Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy is a further stroke behind after a double bogey on his last hole, the par-four ninth, dropped him to an even par 72. Duangdecha leads by 1 Udorn Duangdecha shot an 8-under 62 with 10 birdies Thursday to lead Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands by one stroke after the first round of the Hong Kong Open. The little-known Thai qualifier, who only has one top 10 Asian Tour finish in his career, also had two bogeys at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Defending champion Lin Wen-tang (64) was two strokes behind Duangdecha, tied for third with Gregory Bourdy, David Dixon and Thongchai Jaidee, the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader. Eyeing the European Tour money title, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy both shot 66. They are tied with 11 others at 4-under, including Y.E. Yang and 1998 British Open and Masters champion Mark O'Meara.
