Steve Lowery took the opening-round lead at the Buick Open in Michigan as Tiger Woods made a slow start to his first tournament since the missing the cut at the Open Championship. Early starting American Lowery posted an opening-round 63 at the par-72, 7,127-yard Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc to lead the early starters.

His nine under par score was enough to hold off the afternoon wave also and Lowery will go into the second round with a one-stroke lead over Australia’s John Senden, who shot a 64.

He is eight ahead of world number one Woods, who posted a scrappy one-under 71 that featured four birdies and three bogeys on a course he has twice won and twice finished runner-up on.

“Just one of those days,” Woods said. “I’ve not only got to play well to make the cut, I’ve got to play well to get myself back into contention too. “I’ve got to go low because the guys are going to continue to go low.

“This is the way the golf course is playing right now this week. It’s probably going to be 20-plus (under par) that’s going to win the tournament.

“I have to take advantage of the holes I’m supposed to take advantage of, a couple of the par fours, handle those and then sprinkle in a few more here and there and I’ll come up with the number I’ll need to come up with.”

Lowery played the back nine first and made the turn at two under par before changing up a gear on his inward nine of 29 for a 10-birdie, one-bogey round of 63.

“I putted obviously really well to shoot nine under, but the last nine holes I made all the putts, made seven birdies there on the last nine holes,” Lowery said.

“Some of them were tap-ins, but some of them were pretty good. The one on eight was probably about 20 feet or something like that. So good combination.”

Australia’s James Nitties, South Korea’s Y E Yang and Americans Vaughn Taylor and Brian Vranesh carded 65s to take a share of third place, while 2010 US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin was one of six players a further shot back on six under.