Tiger Woods tied a course and tournament record with a 9-under 63 yesterday, taking a one-stroke lead at the 100th Western Open. It was his lowest round of the year, and his best since he shot a 63 in the final round of the Disney Golf Classic last October.

And it should be enough to answer all those critics who questioned his game — not that the doubters ever mattered to Woods.

"If you've been following what I've been saying the last few tournaments I've played in, I'm very close," he said. "It's just a matter of the things I'm working on, for them to come around."

All of them did yesterday. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, and 15 of 18 greens. And that putter that's given him so much trouble? He needed only 27 putts for the day.

He was one stroke in front of Vance Veazey and two ahead of David Toms. Defending champion Jerry Kelly had a 66.

Masters champion Mike Weir looked as if he was going to make a charge with four straight birdies. But his drive on 18 landed in a triangle of bunkers behind some trees on the right side of the fairway and he made a double bogey to finish at 67.

"It's nice to be able to get that consistency of finding my swing, my path, starting to make consistent, solid shots," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots. It's a lot of fun when you hit shots that flush, that solid."