Woods (68) Is in Pain

Tiger Woods looked as if he should have withdrawn Thursday because of a bad back. He played as if he was capable of winning the American Express Championship for a third consecutive time.

Wincing on every shot and sometimes letting out a yelp at impact, Woods shot a four-under-par 68 at Mount Juliet in Thomastown, Ireland, that left him in a large group two shots behind British Open champion Todd Hamilton.

Hamilton, who made his only bogey on the 18th hole for a 66, had a one-shot lead over a trio of Ryder Cup players from Europe -- Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald and Miguel Angel Jimenez -- along with Stuart Appleby, Adam Scott and Steve Flesch.

Woods was tied with U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, Lee Westwood, Justin Leonard and Thomas Bjorn.

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Jeff Quinney shot a seven-under 64 at Empire Lakes Golf Club in Rancho Cucamonga to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Nationwide Tour’s Mark Christopher Charity Classic.

Ricky Barnes, like Quinney a former U.S. Amateur champion, was among five players at 65. Defending champion James Oh of Lakewood shot an 80.

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John Senden closed his seven-under 65 with his second eagle and shared the lead with Harrison Frazar and Glen Day after the first round of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss.