Norton, Mass. ? Even before he took the first-round lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship, Tiger Woods was having a good day.

Mark O’Meara, Woods’ neighbor and tour mentor, was the leader in the clubhouse when Woods teed off in the afternoon at the TPC of Boston. Woods then went out and shot a 6-under 65 to tie for the lead with Ryan Palmer, one stroke ahead of O’Meara and two others.

Woods, who’s won just once this year to jeopardize his No. 1 ranking, has a first-round lead for the first time since he won the 2003 Western Open. He has won eight of the last 10 tournaments when he’s led or shared the lead after Round 1.

“It’s certainly nice (that) … I don’t have to go out there and shoot a round like this just to try and make the cut,” Woods said.

O’Meara was tied with Cameron Beckman and Jonathan Byrd at 5 under. Five were tied at two strokes back and Vijay Singh, who could take over the top spot in the world rankings if he finishes higher than Woods, was among 10 tied at minus 3.