Woods off to quick start

Tiger Woods got off to a fast start on Thursday, launching his defence of his title at the Canadian Open with a five-under 65…

Tiger Woods got off to a fast start on Thursday, launching his defence of his title at the Canadian Open with a five-under 65 for a share of the first-round lead.

Woods toured the Royal Montreal Golf Club course on Ile Bizard without a bogey, sinking birdies at the first, sixth and 18th holes, and eagling the par-five 13th.

The world's top-ranked player is tied for the lead with Matt Gogel, Jim McGovern and Michael Muehr.

John Daly, who ended a six-year title drought last week in Munich, is just a stroke off the lead, as is Woods' best friend Mark O'Meara and Joey Sindelar.

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At five under par in yesterday's second round after just 13 holes, Richie Coughlan appeared to be cruising into the weekend, but a disappointing finish of three bogeys at 14, 16 and 17, left the man from Birr anxiously waiting to see if he would make the cut.

(US unless stated, Irish in bold)

65 M Gogel, J McGovern, M Muehr, T Woods.

66 J Daly, M O'Meara, J Sindelar.

67 KJ Choi (Kor), D Gillespie, P Gow, D Pride, S Stricker.

68 S Alker, R Black, A Cabrera, S Elkington, D Forsman, J Green, P-U Johansson (Swe), S Jones, J Julian, L Mattiace, L Rinker, M Weir, K Yokoo (Jpn).

69 D Berganio, B Estes, F Funk, S Garcia (Spa), D Hammond, D Hart, G Hnatiuk (Can), P Jordan, JL Lewis, A McLardy, S McRoy, D Morland IV, S Pate, N Price (Zim), S Randolph, B Tway, K Wentworth.

70 F Allem (Rsa), R Allenby (Aus), J Brehaut, O Browne, J Carter, B Faxon, R Gamez, B Gay, I Leggatt, F Lickliter, P Lonard, S Micheel, G Nicklaus, G Paddison, C Paulson, L Porter, H Slocum, J Smith, M Sposa, C Tidland, S Verplank.

71 J Bugg, D Christensen, L Curry, P Devenport, L Donald, S Dunlap, B Ferguson, R Freeman, E Fryatt, D Gossett, J Leonard, R McMillan, J Parnevik (Swe), J Restino, S Simpson, M Slawter, W Wood. 72 R Coughlan.