Woods in touch after 68

Tiger Woods recovered from a sluggish start to card a threeunder-par 68 on the opening day of the Northern Trust, the first of the PGA Tour’s three Fedex Cup play-off events.

Starting on the more difficult back nine at TPC Boston, Woods played his first eight holes in one over par before a birdie on the 18th took the 15-time major winner to the turn in level par.

The front nine offers more birdie opportunities and

Woods took advantage by picking up shots on the third, fourth, seventh and eighth before a wayward drive led to a bogey on the ninth.

At three under par Woods was four shots off the early pace set by fellow American Harris English, whose 64 gave him a one-shot lead over Scott Piercy, Charley Hoffman and former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Rory Mcilroy also got off to a slow start but birdied the 15th, 16th and 18th to reach the turn in 34. After two more birdies and a bogey on the front nine the former world No 1 signed for a two-under-par 69.