Tiger, Rose share lead at PGA Tour Championship

Tiger Woods and England's Justin Rose each fired four-under par 66s on Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the US PGA Tour Championship. Woods, who can capture the US PGA season playoff championship with a victory, and Rose, who dropped in a 50-foot birdie effort at the 18th, each fired six birdies and took two bogeys over the par-70 layout at East Lake. "I played well," Woods said. "It was a very consistent round. I hit the ball well, made a few putts, got around well." Woods sank a long birdie putt at the par-3 second and a six-footer for birdie at the par-4 third. After a bogey at the fourth, Woods finished the front nine with a birdie and made another with a long putt at the 12th. Woods, in the final group, took a bogey at the 14th but answered with birdies at the par-5 15th and par-4 16th to claim a share of the lead. Rose answered a bogey at the second with a birdie at the next hole and a bogey at the seventh with back-to-back birdies to conclude the front nine and again at the 14th and 15th before closing with his impressive birdie. Sharing third on 67 were Americans Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Bo Van Pelt and Scott Piercy with Americans Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Robert Garrigus and Australian Adam Scott on 68. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who has won three of his past four starts, fired a 69. He can also claim the playoff title with a victory.