Friday, August 4 2006 15:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Grand Blanc: Canadian Mike Weir fired a nine-under 63 here Thursday to upstage two-time defending champion Vijay Singh and British Open champion Tiger Woods in the weather-disrupted first round of the Buick Open.



Singh posted an eight-under 64 for sole possession of second place, one shot in front of Joe Durant, Woody Austin and Brett Quigley.

Woods, playing for the first time since claiming his 11th major title and 49th PGA Tour victory at the British Open, posted a 66 before inclement weather brought the first round to a halt.

Woods started on the back nine and got off to a fast start with five straight birdies.

He Woods then two-putted the long first hole to move to six-under.

After picking up another stroke at the seventh, however, Woods bogeyed the 199-yard eighth for a six-under total.

Weir was out in front by then with five straight birdies of his own from the 13th hole. Singh matched four of those birdies and then added another on the final hole to move two shots ahead of Woods.

Like Woods, Singh also started on the back nine and responded to Woods' early burst by recording four birdies in a row from the 13th.

Woods has finished in the top four in each of his last four visits here, including a victory in 2002.

But Singh is the king of the Buick Open. Last year the Fijian became the first three-time winner and first player to successfully defend his title here since Tony Lema in 1964-1965.