Fresh start

Thousand Oaks: Former Masters champion Zach Johnson charged into a share of the lead in the Chevron World Challenge first round on Thursday.

In the absence of troubled tournament host Tiger Woods, the straight-hitting Johnson took advantage of ideal scoring conditions to fire a four-under-par 68 at Sherwood Country Club.

Johnson ended a day of dazzling sunshine and hardly any wind level with Britain's Ian Poulter, who held a two-shot lead over his 17 rivals in the elite field before double-bogeying the last.

Ireland's three-time major winner Padraig Harrington opened with a 69 to finish a stroke in front of Americans Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink and South Korean Yang Yong-eun.

"I wanted to come here fresh and that I am," Johnson told reporters after recording birdies on all four of the par-five holes.

"I took 16 days off before I hit a ball after [the] Disney [Classic], and most of it was by choice. There were a couple of times I could have practised but I just didn't do it.

Confident

"My point this week is ... to get ready for the 2010 season and for me to work out," added the 33-year-old American, who clinched his first major title at the 2007 Masters.

"It's going well. I feel like my game is in a position good enough to win"

Poulter — feeling a little jaded after playing in Asia for the five previous weeks — was frustrated by his sloppy finish which featured a wild tee shot into trees and a three-putt on the 18th.

European No 1 and world No 4 Lee Westwood briefly held a share of the lead with Poulter at five under before dropping four shots in the last five holes for a 71.

Results

Leading first round (US unless stated):

68 - Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter (ENG)

69 - Padraig Harrington (IRL)

70 - Jim Furyk, Yang Yong-eun (KOR), Stewart Cink

71 - Sean O'Hair, Lee Westwood (ENG), Steve Stricker, Graeme McDowell (NIR), Anthony Kim

72 - Justin Leonard, Kenny Perry

73 - Camilo Villegas (COL), Mike Weir (CAN), Martin Kaymer (GER)

74 - Lucas Glover.