Bernhard Langer, who has not won on the PGA Tour in eight years, carded a six-under-par 65 to share the first-round lead with Frank Lickliter at the $5 million season-ending Tour Championship at Champions Golf Club in Houston yesterday.

Langer earned a spot in the elite field despite playing in only 16 events. He finished in the top 10 six times and is 24th on the money list, four spots ahead of Lickliter, who captured his first career win this year at the Kemper Open in May.

"I hit the ball extremely well. I made that one mistake, but otherwise it was a very solid day," said Langer, who at 44 is the second oldest player in the elite 29-man field.

The 44-year-old German, a double Masters champion, had seven birdies against a lone bogey at the par-three fourth hole which helped him to a share of the lead with Lickliter, who had six birdies in a bogey-free round.

World number one Tiger Woods leads a field that was limited to the top-30 money winners on the PGA Tour this season.

However, he experienced a scare when he grabbed his back and winced in pain after his drive off the second tee.

Woods, who said he hurt his back on Wednesday and who grimaced after hitting big drives, eventually got through his round in one-under 70, leaving him five shots behind the leaders.

"It (the back) just acted up yesterday," Woods said. "It's just one of those things. I have to deal with it - try to play the best I can with it."

Woods has won a tour-high five titles this season - two more than anyone else - and has clinched his fourth straight money title with $5,568,777.

Woods has won just one of his last eight starts - the NEC Invitational in late August - and has not cracked the top 15 in his last two tournaments.

"This is a wonderful tournament," enthused Langer. "It's great to be in the top 30 and to play against the best from the past year. It's something everybody wants to achieve."

Langer, whose best US finish this year was a runner-up showing at the St Jude Classic, said a change in equipment had helped him improve his game. "I've been very happy with my game over here and in Europe. I have 14 new clubs in my bag and a new golf ball," he said. "Nothing else has changed. I control it better and have good distance control."

The already exclusive field is down one to 29 as defending champion and world number two Phil Mickelson is not at the Champions Golf Club following the birth of his second daughter.

Americans Steve Lowery and Scott Verplank are tied for third at 67, one shot ahead of fellow countryman Brad Faxon and Canadian Mike Weir. Six players are tied for seventh at 69, including David Duval, South Africa's Ernie Els and Spain's Sergio Garcia. Among the other top players competing are Vijay Singh of Fiji and Davis Love III.

Fred Funk is the leader after the first round of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic after a fine seven -under-par 65.

Dicky Pride, Mark Brooks and Cameron Beckman are second at 66 as the season draws towards it's climax with many players still having a lot to play for.

Some are looking to retain their PGA Tour cards and others are trying to get into The Masters. Funk is aiming for the latter.

The top 40 players on the money list after this week will make it to Augusta in 2002.

He is currently 48th and needs to win this event to have a chance at the Masters.

"I'd love to win this thing and not only reach the top 40 and get into Augusta, but also Kapalua," he said, referring to the winners-only event in Hawaii.