Tiger Woods shoots 65 to lead his golf tournament in Thousand Oaks

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Tiger Woods fired a seven-under 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Chevron World Challenge, a tournament in Thousand Oaks that benefits Woods’ charity.

Woods has won the 18-player event at the Sherwood Country Club course four times, but the former No. 1 golfer hasn’t had a victory this year in the aftermath of his sensational sex scandal.

‘It’s nice to play well,’ Woods said. ‘I played solid all day’ despite not sinking many long putts, he added.

It was the first time Woods was atop the leaderboard since Aug. 26, when he was the co-leader after shooting 65 in the first round at the Barclays tournament in New Jersey.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, both of Northern Ireland and paired together Thursday at Sherwood, finished one shot behind Woods after shooting six-under 66s.

Dustin Johnson and Stewart Cink followed at three under par, while Luke Donald and Camilo Villegas were two under. Defending winner Jim Furyk shot an even-par 72.

Woods made eight birdies on the 7,027-yard course and only one bogey, which came on the 18th hole after an errant tee shot.

--Jim Peltz