Price (63) Watches the Birdies

SOTOGRANDE, Spain —  Nick Price fired fearlessly at every flag and counted up 11 birdies at the end of the day. Those were two good signs he was living out some happy memories Thursday in the American Express Championship.

Two other signs: He had no idea Tiger Woods was eight strokes behind after the first round, nor did he care.

“When I played my best golf, that’s what I did very well,” Price said after his round of nine-under-par 63 at surprisingly serene Valderrama Golf Club. “I didn’t worry about what anyone else was doing. I just tried to do my very best on each hole, on each shot.”

With only five pars on his card, Price built a three-stroke lead over Padraig Harrington of Ireland in the final $5-million World Golf Championships event of the year.

Scott Hoch and Andrew Coltart of Scotland were at 67.

Price and Harrington played in the same twosome and accounted for an amazing round--18 birdies, a best-ball score of 58.

Woods did not look back on his first-round 71 with much affection.

Trying to become the first player in 50 years to win 10 times in one PGA Tour season, Woods made birdie on three of his first four holes and appeared to be rolling along until the par-three sixth not only halted momentum but offered an omen for the rest of the round when he three-putted from about six feet for bogey.

Woods also had a short birdie putt on No. 12 that looped around the hole and came four feet back, leading to another three-putt bogey.

Ernie Els, who aggravated an old back injury while lifting luggage Sunday night, had to withdraw after playing nine holes.