San Diego ? Brandt Snedeker had trouble remembering a round he will never forget. Snedeker, a 26-year-old rookie on the PGA Tour, flirted with golf’s magic number Thursday in the Buick Invitational until the birdies dried up on the easy North Course at Torrey Pines, then settled for a 61 to tie the course record and take a two-shot lead.

“The whole front nine was a blur,” said Snedeker, who couldn’t recall how he birdied some of the holes, much less what those holes even looked like.

But he generated the biggest buzz at the Buick Invitational, where two-time defending champion Tiger Woods opened with a 66 and was reduced to a supporting role.

“To see the crowd kind of work their way back to me from Tiger was kind of nice,” said Snedeker, who played two groups behind Woods. “Seeing them rooting me on the last nine holes – although I couldn’t bring it in the way they wanted – was still fun. I had a blast.”

Charlie Wi shot a 63 that hardly anyone noticed, while John Senden and Jeff Quinney each had a 64. Phil Mickelson took double bogey on the 14th hole on his way to a 74 on the South Course, and Vijay Singh made only one birdie in his round of 75.