PGA TOUR Tiger fires 9-under 63 to take two-shot lead

His lowest round of the year tied the course and Western Open record.
LEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- Here's one way to quiet all that talk about a slump.
Tiger Woods tied a course and tournament record with a 9-under 63 Thursday, taking a 2-stroke lead at the 100th Western Open. It was his lowest round of the year, and his best since he shot a 63 in the final round of the Disney Golf Classic last October.
Woods is the 13th player to shoot 63 at the Western -- a tournament he's won twice -- and the first since 2000.
Talk that Woods was in a slump was building even before the U.S. Open. After winning three of his first four events this year, he wasn't a factor at the Masters and wasn't in contention at his next two tournaments.
But it was a disappointing weekend at the Open, also played in the Chicago area, that really got the chatter going. He struggled with a balky putter all week, and never made the charge fans expected. For the first time in four years, he didn't own a title from one of the four major championships.
No sign of slump
Woods insisted Wednesday that his game was fine -- and he more than backed that up Thursday. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, and 15 of 18 greens. And that putter that's given him so much trouble? He needed only 27 putts for the day.
He's two strokes ahead of David Toms, who shot a 7-under 65, while defending champion Jerry Kelly had a 66.
Starting on the back nine, Woods gave notice early that he meant business, making a 24-footer for eagle on the par-5 11th. He pointed at the hole as the ball dropped into the cup, and the crowd erupted into cheers of "Eagle! Eagle!"
Woods grinned, bumping fists with caddie Steve Williams.
But a few minutes later, those old frustrations were back. His 2-foot par putt on the par-3 12th banged off the back edge of the cup and caromed out. Woods tapped in for a bogey, and was clearly disgusted as he walked off the green, muttering and smacking his hat against a tree.
He came right back with a birdie on 13, and added birdies on 15 and 16. A rain delay of 1 hour and 41 minutes interrupted his round after teeing off on the 18th hole, and Woods looked a little rusty when play resumed.
He hit a bad second shot, tossing his club as the ball landed on the fringe of the green. He chipped on, and things had the potential to get really ugly when his ball rolled all the way across the green and onto the fringe on the other side.
But he made a spectacular chip-in to save par, pumping his fist and smiling when the ball rolled in.