Photos by Chuck Kirman / Star staff Jim Furyk blasts out of a sand trap during the first round of the Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club on Thursday. Furyk shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-shot lead over Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini, Henrik Stenson and Zach Johnson.

Tiger Woods rusty? Oh sure, as rusty as the Titanium driver he wields.

It might have been 2 months since his last competitive round of golf, but Woods looked exactly like, well, Woods in powering his way near the top of the leaderboard Thursday in the opening round of the Target World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club.

On day one of the Thousand Oaks event he has won three of its previous eight years, Woods notched five birdies, yielded no bogeys until a double-bogey hiccup on No. 18 and shot a 3-under-par 69 to end round one just one shot back in the glitzy 16-player field.

Jim Furyk, "knocking the rust" off his own seven-week layoff, finished at 4-under 68 to hold a one-stroke lead. Woods, Rory Sabbatini, Henrik Stenson and Masters Champion Zack Johnson all sit at 69, setting up what might be an intriguing final three rounds.

For Woods, who hosts the tournament to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation, Round 1 was a pleasant surprise.

"I thought I hit the ball pretty well," he said. "For the most part, I was very consistent. It's frustrating in a way, because I made a mistake on the final hole that led to giving away a couple of shots, but for the most part it was a nice start for me. I started out well on one, which gave me some momentum right from the start.

"I've got a lot of work to do over the next three days, but once you get into the flow, it's there."

Woods is finishing off a 2007 season that lived up to his own cosmic standards.

He won seven events, including major championship No. 13 at the PGA Championship, and also won the inaugural FedEx Cup. He now owns 61 PGA Tour victories.

Woods began Thursday's opening round looking as if he might rout the field on Day 1, with birdies on the first two holes and three birdies on the front nine.

Woods, who turns 32 on Dec.30, then scored birdies on No. 10 and No. 11 to open up a three-shot lead.

Thereafter, the field came back.

Woods missed birdie opportunities on the par-5 No. 13 and No. 16, and ended his day on No. 18 by splashing a shot into the water that led to a double-bogey.

"The only thing I messed up were two easy pitch shots on the two par 5s on the back nine, didn't get those easy up and downs," he said.

The star-studded field featured high-caliber play.

The steadiest was Furyk, who got his first birdie on No. 2 and finished with four birdies and the one-shot lead. Furyk's smooth day featured a no-bogey round.

"I'm very happy with my round," said Furyk. "The hardest thing about taking time off is losing your ability to score. That's part of the mental game. You're not quite as sharp, and it's takes you awhile to find that.

"One of the main reasons I'm playing this tournament is to knock the rust off, and get ready to start the next season on Jan. 1. I think I was able to do that today."

Johnson, whose Masters victory in April was his first major championship, ended the opening round with a strong back nine. He was even par through nine, before scoring birdies on No. 10, No. 14 and No. 15.

"I hit a lot of greens, hit a lot of fairways and putted pretty well," he said. "I'm going to take a lot of positives out of this first round."

Stenson, a veteran of the European Tour who joined the PGA Tour just this year, went on a tear on the back nine. He notched five consecutive birdies, on holes 10 through 14 to pull into a tie with Woods at 5 under. He cooled off by bogeying No. 16 and No. 17 to finish at 3 under.

Also finishing under par were Padraig Harrington, the 2007 British Open Champion, and Mark Calcavecchia.

Both were at 1-under 71.