Woods takes charge in pursuit of first 2010 win

THOUSAND OAKS, California, (Reuters) – Tiger Woods  put himself in position to end a forgettable year on a  triumphant note by charging one shot clear in the Chevron World  Challenge first round yesterday.
Seeking his first victory of 2010 in his own tournament  after becoming engulfed in a torrid sex scandal at the end of  last season, Woods fired a sparkling seven-under-par 65 at  Sherwood Country Club.
Although he recorded his only bogey at the par-four last  after pushing his tee shot behind a tree, Woods matched his  lowest score of the year to finish one shot ahead of Britons  Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in the elite field of 18.
Woods, whose last tournament victory came at the 2009  Australian Masters, opened with a 65 at the PGA Tour’s Barclays  tournament in August and fired another 65 in the second round  of the Deutsche Bank Championship the following week.
He also recorded a 65 in the final round of last month’s  Australian Masters.
“I played good today,” Woods told reporters after recording  birdies on each of the five par-fives. “I really striped it. I  hit a lot of good shots.
“It’s not too often I can say I shot 65 and only made one  putt, but that’s kind of what I did today,” added the world  number two who totalled 32 putts on smooth-running greens.
“I only made one putt and it was on (hole) nine. The rest  were either two putts or kick-ins. It was a good ball-striking  day.”
Asked if he was back to his best after struggling on and  off the course since his private life unravelled at the end of  last season amid sordid revelations of serial philandering,  Woods replied: “It’s a process.