Late birdies lift Furyk into Grand Slam lead

LOS ANGELES, Nov 22 (Reuters) Jim Furyk fired a five-under-par 67 to take the first round lead at the 1 million dollar PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Poipu Beach, Hawaii.

Furyk, a part-time resident of Hawaii, won the event here in 2003 and will carry a one-shot lead over Australia's Geoff Ogilvy into the second and final round of the 36-hole event.

World number one Tiger Woods, who has won this event a record six times in his seven appearances, sits third after firing a two-under 70, one shot better than Mike Weir (71, one-under).

Furyk birdied the final two holes, moving ahead of Ogilvy with a 10-foot birdie at the 17th and a nine-foot birdie on the last hole of the oceanside Poipu Golf Course.

World number two Furyk was the only player to get through the opening round without a bogey and made five birdies overall.

Ogilvy moved ahead of the field with a birdie on the fifth and held the lead until Furyk's late charge.

Woods had trouble keeping his drives in the fairways for most of the opening round, but he also closed his round with a birdie as he looks to win this event for a seventh time.

The tournament is an unofficial 36-hole event that has been won by Woods six of the eight times it has been played.

It is supposed to feature the four major tournament winners, but Woods won two of them this year and U S Masters champion Phil Mickelson decided not to compete and was replaced by Weir.

First prize is 500,000 dollars, with 200,000 dollars going to the fourth place finisher.

REUTERS DH BS1123