PGA TOUR Singh has one-shot lead after Buick first round

Tiger Woods opened with a 67, four shots behind.
GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) -- Catching Tiger Woods in the world rankings is no longer consuming Vijay Singh.
Singh shot a 9-under 63 Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Buick Open, with Woods lurking four shots behind.
Woods is the top-ranked player in the world, with one win and nine top-10 finishes, and Ernie Els is second. Singh ranks third, with three victories and 10 top-10 finishes.
"I put too much pressure on myself trying to get that spot in the beginning of the year," Singh said. "I just want to go out there and enjoy my game. I'm really not worried about who is No. 1 right now."
Since winning consecutive tournaments three months ago, Singh has just two top-five finishes and was tied for 28th at the U.S. Open and for 20th at the British Open.
"I have not been playing that well and maybe focusing on the wrong things," he said. "But it is close, and I think this is the best chance Ernie has to catch Tiger."
Browne is second
Singh, one shot ahead of Olin Browne and two in front of Mike Grob, fell two strokes short of the tournament record. Defending champion Jim Furyk shot a 66, and was tied for fourth with four others.
Woods got off to a slow start with only one birdie through eight holes before closing with four birdies in an eight-hole stretch.
He had to scramble at times early, once crouching with a tree branch on his back just to save par on a 340-yard par 4, but his bogey-free day kept him near the leaders.
"It feels like making a bogey there because it's drivable," Woods said. "I can launch it there with my driver if I just hit it straight. I had to scramble for par, but it was also nice to keep the round going."
Singh went back to a standard putter, after using a long one for 21/2 years, and the change seemed to work.
"I'm a great chipper and a good bunker player, but if you keep missing [short putts] that kind of eats into your game," the Fijian said. "And you put so much pressure into going for the flags that whenever you make a mistake, it's a bogey."