Three-way tie for World Challenge lead

Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods, the host of the Target World Challenge since its inception in 1999, and Jim Furyk were tied for the lead after the first round of this year’s event.

The trio fired four-under-par 67s at the Sherwood Country Club in California.

Scot Montgomerie hit the shot of the round – a five-wood to under 10 feet – as he grabbed an eagle on the 15th hole.

A delighted Montgomerie said: “I played quite well. Anytime you can equal Tiger Woods, well, that’s OK.”

Padraig Harrington, Fred Couples and Miguel Angel Jimenez are one shot back, while Chris DiMarco and Jay Haas are two strokes behind the leaders.

Chad Campbell, Stewart Cink and defending champion Davis Love III carded one-under 70s, while Comeback Player of the Year John Daly, Open hero Todd Hamilton and Kenny Perry are tied for 12th after posting two-over 73s.

But world number one Vijay Singh, who was named the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year for the first time on Monday, was in joint-last place after a disastrous round.

Singh carded a three-over-par 74 to tie Trinidad’s Stephen Ames at the rear of the field in the 16-man event on the Thousand Oaks course.

The 41-year-old Fijian, who became the first player to surpass $10m (€7.5m) in earnings in a single season, won nine events in 2004.