Tiger Wood fired a seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead Thursday at the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks. The 18-player event is being held to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Woods has won the even four times but missed the event in 2008 due to knee surgery and again last year because of his Thanksgiving night car crash and the ensuing sex scandal.

The conditions on Thursday were good. Woods was in an aggressive frame of mind and played well. He said “I played solid all day” despite not sinking many long putts, he added.

This is the first time that Woods has topped the leader board since August 26 after shooting 65 in the first round at The Barclays tournament in New Jersey.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy finished one shot behind Woods after shooting 66s. McDowell said “No disappointment….Obviously (it’s) just a great way to begin the week and (I) hope to build on it as the weekend goes on."

Dustin Johnson and Stewart Cink followed at three-under 69, with Luke Donald and Camilo Villegas (70). Furyk shot an even-par 72.

McDowell said he expects more low scores throughout the competition. He said “The greens are soft, very receptive…The whole golf course is very well set up for scoring."