Weir on the pace

Canadian Mike Weir, without a single top 10 finish all season, began his defence of the American Express world championship with a five under par 67 at Mount Juliet today.

It gave the left-hander a share of the early lead with Fijian Vijay Singh and American Chris DiMarco.

Weir won the million dollar title at Valderrama two years ago, but did not get to defend last September in St Louis because of the terrorist attacks.

He had two bogeys in his first four holes, but came home in 32 to set the target for the field.

Of the 17 Ryder Cup players next week taking part – 10 Americans, seven Europeans – Swede Niclas Fasth, American Scott Verplank and Spaniard Sergio Garcia were going best.

Fasth did not drop a stroke and birdied the last for a four under 68 (the same as Jose Maria Olazabal), while Garcia eagled the long fifth and had a birdie either side.

Worthing’s Gary Evans made a brilliant debut in the World Championship series with five birdies in his first eight holes.

Evans, one of the stars of the Open in July, qualified for the £3.5million event only on Sunday by leaping into Europe’s top 20.

He has yet to win a tournament in his 11-year professional career, but finished just one shot away from the play-off at Muirfield after a spectacular last-day charge.

His 45-foot putt for par on the 17th there was one of the most dramatic moments of the season after he had lost his first ball in the rough.

Colin Montgomerie, much happier about the state of his back than he was on Sunday and now looking forward to the Ryder Cup rather than doubting he will take part in it, was only level par with two to play, while Darren Clarke was one worse than that and down near the rear of the 65-strong field.

Montgomerie parred every hole on the front nine and, after a birdie at the 10th, bogeyed the 13th.

Bernhard Langer who had been four over after four – he went in the lake on the third and then double-bogeyed the next as well after driving wildly into a bush - came back well for a level par 72.

Tiger Woods was paired with Padraig Harrington and it was Harrington who had their first birdie at the second.

When American Steve Lowery added to his front-nine 32 with birdies at the 10th and 14th he edged one ahead of Weir, Singh and DiMarco at six under.

Evans, having bogeyed the ninth to be out in 32 as well, climbed back into a share of second place with a four at the long 10th, but followed that with another bogey to be four under again.

Woods birdied the 402-yard fourth to join Harrington on one under, only for the Dubliner to go in front again in their personal duel with a six-foot birdie putt on the long next.

Montgomerie birdied the 534-yard 17th despite driving into the rough, but finished with a bogey for a 72, this time missing the green with his second.

He said health-wise he was fine, then added: “Enough has been said about it. Let’s talk about golf, if you don’t mind.”

It was his putting troubling him now.

“I had 35 putts and you can’t compete doing that,” he said. “But three years ago I putted horribly at the Lancome Trophy, then the best of my career a week later at Brookline.”