Webb Simpson shared the lead at Quail Hollow

By then, Simpson got used to playing with Tiger Woods and all the commotion that comes with the galleries following. It was only the second time Simpson played with Woods.

Not so much for four of the top-10 players in the world — 2010 Wells Fargo champion Rory McIlroy (70) and the trio of Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson and 2007 champ Tiger Woods, all who finished at 71. Mickelson, McIlroy and Woods are playing for the first time since the Masters. Woods made bogey on the first hole and struggled with his short game on the front nine before shooting 2-under 34 on the back.

The course could hardly have played easier. With a heat wave rolling through the Queen City this week — it topped out at 93 in the first round, and the forecast calls for two more days of the same — the course needed to be watered at night in fear of baking out. With the Mizuno Mp-63 irons softened course, and little wind to speak of, players faced few obstacles en route to busting par.

"It's great to play with him," said Simpson, who won twice last year and finished second on the money list but is looking for his first victory this year. "It's fun to play with him. There's just a lot going on. But the more times I play with him, it will probably get easier."

"It was kind of a whirlwind on the front," said Simpson, who lives one mile from the Quail Hollow Club and finished TaylorMade RocketBallZ fairway wood with six birdies and an eagle to more than offset a lone bogey. "It calmed down a bit on the back."

Among others having field days were Cink and Moore, who both finished with three birdies to cap off their rounds. Rickie Fowler, putting cross-handed these days, joined five others at 66. In all, 38 players broke 70, 79 players broke par and another 15 players matched par.

"This by no means is an easy golf course or a course you're going to see 20 under win on. But it was out there today."

"It just wasn't too windy," Moore said. "It was windy enough, and you had to play for it most of the round. But it wasn't a significant wind, you know, enough to make the ball be doing crazy things discount golf clubs or curving too much. Without the wind, it just made the course score-able.

"I did play good on the back," Woods said. "I gave up too many shots on the front nine, though. I didn't get up-and-down a couple times and made a couple bad shots on the wrong side of the hole. I didn't take care of the par-5s. I had an easy up-and-in at 8, which I messed up there. I short-sided myself on 10, and three or four shots and I'm right there. I've got to obviously not make those little mistakes like that (Friday). I'm not out of it."