Tiger Woods Masters Return – Tiger Woods made a strong return to golf by posting his best opening-round score at the Masters Tournament, but that still wasn’t good enough to match two senior opponents.
Woods, who had two eagles, four birdies and three bogeys in the opening round, finished his day by missing a birdie putt from about eight feet. He had never broken 70 on the opening day in his previous 15 appearances at the year’s first major, and it was the first time he had two eagles in a round at the Masters, according to BusinessWeek.com.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t putt very well,” Woods said in a news conference. “Otherwise, it would have been a very special day.”
Woods impressive play comes after a five-month hiatus due to being embroiled in a sex scandal, which the star golfer admitted to marital infidelity.
The world’s No. 1-ranked player sank a 10-foot putt for eagle at the par-5 eighth hole and followed it up with a birdie at the ninth, where he drew his long approach shot around a stand of trees. Woods missed a 7-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th hole.
The 34-year-old received a warm ovation when he arrived at the opening tee. After acknowledging cheers from his fans, he shook hands with playing partners K.J. Choi of South Korea and Matt Kuchar of the U.S., and then hit his opening tee shot into the middle of the fairway. On the first hole, Woods missed a birdie putt of about 12 feet.
“It felt normal,” Woods said of his first-tee ovation. “The reception was incredible all day. I just went about my business. I was pretty calm.”
As Woods teed off on the second hole, a small plane flew overhead trailing a banner that referred to his sex scandal.
While Woods said his wife, Elin, won’t attend the Masters, his mother, Kultida, walked alongside the second fairway holding the arm of Nike Inc. Chairman Phil Knight.
Woods’ group was accompanied by four armed member of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and at least six tournament security guards.
