Lowery sizzles, Woods fizzles at Buick

By Steve Keating

GRAND BLANC, Michigan (Reuters) - American Steve Lowery turned a sizzling last nine into a one-shot first-round lead at the Buick Open on Thursday, while Tiger Woods stumbled on one of his favorite layouts.

Taking advantage of an early start and ideal conditions at sun-kissed Warwick Hills, Lowery birdied seven of his last nine holes on way to nine-under 63 while Woods struggled with his putting to sit eight shots off the pace after a one-under 71.

Playing the back nine first, Lowery got his day off to a stuttering birdie-bogey start but was nearly perfect after the turn, reeling off four straight birdies from the first.

The 48-year-old let his foot off the gas with pars at five and six but closed with three more birdies to tie the course nine hole record of seven-under 29 and grab a one shot lead over Australian John Senden.

South Korea's Y.E. Yang, Australia's James Nitties and Americans Vaughn Taylor and Brian Vranesh all lurk one shot further back returning seven-under 65s.

"It hasn't been a great year for me but hopefully I can turn it around," Lowery, who is without a top 20 finish this season, told reporters. "The last nine holes I made all my putts, some were tap ins and some were pretty good.

"Nine-under is a good start but...you got to get it going for the rest of the three days."

Back in action for the first time since the British Open where he missed the cut in a major championship for only the second time as a professional, Woods could not find his rhythm on a course he rates among his favorites.