San Diego ? Tiger Woods delivered the score he expected in his 2008 debut, just not the game.

Despite playing from the sand, rough and behind a few trees early in his round, Woods shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday on the tougher South Course at Torrey Pines. That left him two shots behind Troy Matteson, and gave him a strong presence on the leaderboard as he goes for his fourth straight title in the Buick Invitational.

Matteson ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine, then finished his round with consecutive birdies to become the first player since Davis Love III in 2000 to have the first-round lead while playing the South.

Brad Adamonis had a 66 on the North Course, which is 600 yards shorter and played more than two strokes easier.

Rory Sabbatini, Stuart Appleby and Kevin Streelman, who began the day as the third alternate, were in the group at 67 with Woods. They all played on the North, which is where Matteson and Woods play today.

Anchor issues apology

San Diego – Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman returned to work Thursday with an apology and an audio glitch.

Tilghman was suspended for two weeks after saying during the season-opening tournament that young challengers to Tiger Woods should “lynch him in a back alley.”

She apologized to Woods, who did not play that week, and Woods has acknowledged her mistake and said the issue was over.

The end of Tilghman’s suspension coincided with Woods’ debut at the Buick Invitational. Tilghman recorded an apology that was played at the top of the telecast Thursday, but viewers could not hear the first few seconds because of an audio problem.