There were only a handful of players below him at the final major of the season - the one he has won four times and which he was so looking forward to after missing the US Open and The Open through injury.

Stricker's birdies included the 15th and 18th, two of the three that Woods double-bogeyed, and he led by three from fellow America Jerry Kelly and Swede Alex Noren, already twice a winner this season.

Things had begun so well for Woods. He holed from 14 feet on the 10th, got up and down from a bunker at the long 12th and then struck a superb approach to four feet two holes later.

But the story started to change on the 15th, a controversial 260-yard par three with water right. Woods found the lake, took five like Luke Donald had just ahead of him and then dropped another shot at the next after going from bunker to rough and then into more sand.

He was in two more bunkers on the 18th for a double bogey six, another on the first for bogey, two more at the next for bogey and another on the short fourth for a further dropped shot.

A birdie on the long fifth appearance to have stopped the bleeding, but not so. He went from sand into water at the 425-yard sixth and ran up a six.

Playing partner Padraig Harrington was himself struggling at three-over.

The 2008 champion parted company with coach Bob Torrance two weeks ago to try to arrest a slide down the world rankings that has already taken him from third to 69th.

He also birdied the long 12th, but then came bogeys on the 13th, 15th, 18th and first as his problems became apparent again.

At least they were doing better than Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa, who four days after finishing fourth in Akron crumbed to a 15-over round of 85.

That contained a triple bogey six on the 15th and five double bogeys.

It was a much better day for 18-year-old Matteo Manassero on his debut in the event, a two under 68 that meant he outscored Sunday's winner Adam Scott by one.

World number one Donald, despite his double bogey at the 15th, was one under with two to go and that was good enough for a share of eighth with, among others, Londoner Brian Davis.

Phil Mickelson was one further back, recovering well from the shock of three-putting from only three feet on his opening green.

Ian Poulter was on the same mark after 14, while Ross Fisher dropped from four under to one over on his return to action after missing last week's event as a result of his baby son Harry being taken into hospital during the Irish Open.

Scot Martin Laird was one over with two remaining, Welshman two over after 12 in his first major in America, Paul Casey three over and Laird's compatriot Stephen Gallacher handed in a 74.

Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke were all among the later starters.

An "angry" Woods - annoyed, he said, because he had not stayed with his early swing thoughts - was in his 12th bunker at the ninth and bogeyed yet again for a 77.

It was his worst-ever opening round in a Major and he was a staggering 14 adrift of Stricker, who after a four on the long fifth needed one more birdie for the magical first major 62.

Davis shot a one under 69, Donald 70, Harrington and Laird 73 and Poulter 74.