Kuchar has his best start in his best year

Already having his best season, Matt Kuchar got off to his best start of the year in the PGA Tour's BMW Championship in Lemont, Ill - and a mystery season for Tiger Woods took another unexpected turn.

Kuchar, who won the opening FedEx Cup playoff event to position himself for the $10-million bonus, wasted no time putting his name atop the leader board. He finished with an 18-foot birdie putt for a 7-under-par 64 and a one-shot lead over Ryan Moore.

Ian Poulter of England, who has finished in the top 10 only once since winning the Match Play Championship in February, had a 66 for the best round of the afternoon despite opening with a double bogey.

Woods also started with a double bogey, but he never got those shots back. With one last bogey on the 18th hole, he wound up with a 73 to leave himself in a big hole as he tries to advance to the final stage of the playoffs in Atlanta.

It was his highest round at Cog Hill since he opened with a 73 in the 2005 Western Open.

It was peculiar to hear him discuss how much ground he has to make up - not against Kuchar, but the finish he needs to get into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings and advance to the Tour Championship.

"As of right now, I'm only five shots back out of that spot," Woods said. "That's not bad."

Kuchar had little to say because he's been playing so great - a winner at The Barclays and a tour-high 10 finishes in the top 10 this year - and because he's battling laryngitis.

"Just keep playing," Kuchar said to one question he felt good enough to answer. "I was driving it well. I was actually doing everything well. It felt very good. Last week was a little bit suspect, and this week I kind of figured some stuff out."

Phil Mickelson, not a fan of Cog Hill, ended with a bogey on the par-5 ninth hole for a 72. Mickelson swapped out playing in the pro-am to do a corporate function, and instead played Butler National on Wednesday, which he raved about.

He was asked if it was harder to play a course for which he has little affection.

"Yes," he replied. Colsearts leads KLM

Belgium's Nicolas Colsearts birdied five of his last six holes for an 8-under-par 62 and a two-stroke lead after one round of the European Tour's KLM Open in Hilversum, Netherlands.

England's Kenneth Ferrie and India's Shiv Kapur opened with 64s to tie for second.

- AP