Zach Johnson grabs lead in Tiger Woods’ tournament

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Former Masters champion Zach Johnson birdied the first hole and eagled the par-five second hole to go seven under par and take the early lead today in the second round of the Chevron World Challenge.

Johnson and Britain’s Ian Poulter had started the day as co-leaders after both shot four-under 68s in the opening round Thursday at the par-72 Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. Poulter birdied the second hole today to reach five under par.

Y.E. Yang, the South Korean who won this year’s PGA Championship, also eagled the second hole and birdied the third to join Poulter at five under.

The tournament, which pays $1.35 million to the winner, sponsors the Tiger Woods Foundation but Woods himself isn’t playing this year because of the personal problems that have engulfed the world’s No. 1 golfer.-- Jim Peltz