DUBLIN (Ohio), May 30: Charles Howell III played the final four holes in four-under-par on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Memorial Tournament as Tiger Woods made a solid start on his first U.S. event since the Masters.

Howell finished on eight-under 64 and holds a one-stroke lead over Kenny Perry, the winner of last week’s Colonial and a former Memorial champion.

John Huston stands alone in third after a six-under 66.

World number one Woods is in a seven-player group at five-under on his return to the PGA Tour after a six-week absence.

The three-time champion had knee surgery last December and has cut back on the number of events he plans to play in this season, although he has still managed three victories in his six appearances so far.

Joining Woods on that mark are South Africa’s Retief Goosen, Fiji’s Vijay Singh, Lee Janzen, Chad Campbell, Brad Faxon and Australia’s Adam Scott.

World number two Ernie Els of South Africa finished with a one-over 73.

Howell fashioned a three-birdie, one-bogey 34 on the front nine before catching fire late in his round.

He eagled the par-five 15th hole and birdied both the 17th and 18th to shot 30 on the par-36 back nine of Muirfield Village.

First round scores

64 Charles Howell III

65 Kenny Perry

66 John Huston

67 Chad Campbell, Retief Goosen (South Africa), Lee Janzen, Brad Faxon, Vijay Singh (Fiji), Tiger Woods, Adam Scott (Australia)

68 Jeff Maggert, Brendan Pappas (South Africa), Jim Furyk, Woody Austin, Spike McRoy, John Daly

69 Shigeki Maruyama (Japan), Scott Verplank, Bob Tway, Dudley Hart, Mark Calcavecchia, Paul Azinger, Billy Andrade, Keith Fergus, Gary Nicklaus

WALES OPEN LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES