Woods, Singh among trio tied for NEC lead

Three days after the major championship season ended, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh played like they still have plenty to prove Thursday by taking a share of the lead in the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Woods twice escaped trouble from the trees but never came close to making bogey on a Firestone course that offered no letup for those coming off the PGA Championship. He made a 15-foot birdie on his final hole for a 4-under 66, and later was joined by Singh and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

Singh had a chance to take the outright lead until missing a 6-foot birdie putt on his 17th hole. He had to scramble from the rough to save par on the 484-yard ninth hole for a share of the lead.

Davis Love III carried his good play from Baltusrol into the first round and was among those at 67, while PGA champion Phil Mickelson was all smiles on his way to a 69.

PGA Tour

Defending champion Vaughn Taylor birdied six of his last eight holes for an 8-under par 64 and took a one-stroke lead over Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson and Reno's Todd Fischer Thursday in the windy first round of the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Guy Boros was another stroke back at 6-under 66, followed by Aaron Baddeley, Jesper Parnevik and Duffy Waldorf at 67 on the 7,472-yard course at Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Former British Open champion Todd Hamilton and Craig Barlow shot 68s. Among those at 69 were former British Open champ Ben Curtis, Joe Ogilvie, Jonathan Kaye and Paul Azinger, who splits his time in the broadcast booth. David Duval, another former British Open champ, shot a 10-over 82.

-- From wire reports