Funk, Singh open up strong to pressure Woods for lead

REDMOND, Wash. Fred Funk didn't like all the hoopla surroundingTiger Woods' arrival on the PGA Tour. He started play today at thePGA Championship as if intent on doing something about it.

Funk birdied three of his first six holes to move within astroke of Woods, who had yet to tee off in the second round atSahalee Country Club.

Funk was at 3-under, joining Vijay Singh a shot behind Woods asplay continued under nearly perfect conditions for a second straightday in the season's final major championship.

Funk, who was critical of the attention given Woods when theyoung star's appearance at the B.C. Open overshadowed Funk's winthere in 1996, started the day at even par but birdied the first,fourth and sixth holes.

Singh birdied three of his first four holes to also move intocontention. Both players shot 70 on Thursday.

Woods showed Thursday he learned that one round doesn't make atournament, refusing to get too excited even after shooting acourse-record 66 to take a two-stroke lead over eight golfers afterthe first round.

"I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself because I amnear the lead right now," Woods said. "With three days to go, it'san eternity. You just have to go out there and hold your own forthree more days."

Woods did more than hold his own on opening. With the driverstuck firmly in his bag, he turned to his putter to sink six putts of15 feet or longer.

By his own admission, it wasn't a great ball-striking day. Butwith only 27 putts needed to navigate the slick greens, the irons canbe a little off.

After a bogey on the first hole and an adventurous iron shot onthe second, it seemed almost easy for Woods, who capped his roundwith a 35-foot downhiller for birdie on the par-3 17th.

Not far from his mind where the lessons learned at last month'sBritish Open, where after leading with a 65 in the first round hefollowed with a 77.

"I know how difficult it is to win a major," Woods said. "AtAugusta I was fortunate enough to play 63 straight holes where mygame was pretty much right on. And it was - trust me - a lot of fun.But it has taught me how difficult it is to win."

On a day when several players made a run at the lead, only tofall back on the back nine, Woods posted his score before many in the150-player field had even teed off.

By the time they struggled in, there were eight golfers at2-under-par 68, including Glen Day, who was 5-under at one pointbefore taking a double bogey on the par-4 15th.

"They don't pay you for leading on Thursday," Day said.

Among those clustered two shots back was Billy Andrade, theninth alternate who got in only after Steve Jones withdrew followingthe sudden death of a close friend. Also at 68 was Paul Azinger andCraig Stadler, who was at 3-under before three-putting the finalhole.

Masters and British Open winner Mark O'Meara, trying to becomethe first to win three majors since Ben Hogan 45 years ago, bogeyedtwo of the first three holes before recovering for a 69 that left himthree back.

"I kept myself in the ball game," O'Meara said. "I saw on theleaderboard that Tiger shot 4-under and had a super round. But Iexpected him to play well."

With just the hint of a breeze wafting through the firs andcedars that line the fairways of the 6,906-yard course, conditionscouldn't have been any better.

"Since the greens are so perfect, you just need to set the ballon the line," Woods said. "It's going to go in the hole and youstart walking."

However, not everyone thrived.

John Daly took a triple-bogey 7 on the final hole to shoot 80,while David Duval and U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen both had 76s.

"I'm very pleased with the way I've played in the majors thisyear. Unfortunately, I haven't won one yet, but I've been rightthere," Woods said. "And that's all you can ask for, just beconsistent and give yourself a chance. It's just a matter of timebefore the breaks start falling your way."