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Tiger Woods leads Australian Open

SYDNEY -- For the first time since the final round of the Masters, Tiger Woods found himself leading a golf tournament on Friday.

His time on the Augusta NationalTaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Irons leaderboard eventually ended in disappointment. How it plays out at the Australian Open will be determined over the final 36 holes this weekend at The Lakes Golf Club.

Woods, who is coming up on the two-year anniversary of his last victory, shot 5-under-par 67 on another blustery day that saw him make his first two bogeys

of the tournament but also put him in a position that was once so familiar.

"I played well today," Woods said. "I could have been a little lower over my first nine holes. I felt like I really didn't miss a shot. Even though I shot 5 under today,TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB Ironsit felt like it easily could have been 8 or 9 deep.

"It feels good, but it feels good to actually be there playing properly instead of slashing the ball all over the place."

He was at 9-under 135, one shot clear of a familiar name in these parts -- and to Woods.

Peter O'Malley is a member at The Lakes and birdied his last two holes for a 66. O'Malley is memorable to some golf fans in theTaylorMade Tour Preferred CB IronsUnited States as the No. 64 seed who beat Woods in the opening round of the Match Play Championship at La Costa in 2002.

Jason Day, who played alongside Woods, managed to limit the damage from a few wayward shots and had a 68 to finish two behind. Bubba Watson, among eight Americans to came to the Australian Open to get ready for the PresidentsTaylormade R9 Supermax HybridCup next week at Royal Melbourne, birdied his last three holes for a 70 and was three shots behind.

"He has more shots in the bag than me right now," Day said. "He hits some shots that made me go, 'Wow.' I feel that I can play a lot of different shots, but some of the shots that guy hits, especially around the greens, are amazing. discount golf clubsHe is always in control and always composed."