Tiger gets passing grade in 1st round in 10 months

NASSAU, Bahamas – Tiger Woods was watching the leaderboards, and he wasn’t alone.

Woods returned to competition for the first time in 301 days, and just like his previous four comebacks from back surgeries, no one was quite sure what to expect. Matt Kuchar was among those who looked for Woods’ name whenever he passed a scoreboard at the Hero World Challenge.

“Absolutely, we wanted the Tiger Woods update,” Kuchar said Thursday. “I think everybody was excited and couldn’t wait to see how he would do.”

In his first tournament in 301 days – his first time competing since a fourth back surgery in April – Woods did fine. He made five birdies. He muffed two chips. He saved par. He twice dropped choice words. He once slammed his 6-iron into the turf after a poor tee shot. And he shot 69. It was enough for Woods to feel like he hadn’t been gone since Feb. 3.

“It was not only nice to get the first round out of the way, but also I’m only three shots out of the lead,” Woods said. “So to be able to put myself there after not playing for 10 months or so, it was nice to feel the adrenaline out there.”

Tommy Fleetwood shot a 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead. Woods was in a tie for eighth in the 18-man field at Albany Golf Club. It’s progress from last year, when he wasted a good start with a pair of double bogeys over the last three holes, shot 73 and was nine shots out of the lead.

The first round brought a mix of everything, most of it good.

OFF THE TEE: Woods played the opening round with Justin Thomas, the PGA Tour player of the year and one of golf’s big hitters. He was alongside most of the day, and occasionally past him. For a guy who turns 42 at the end of the month, and who has had four back surgeries since the spring of 2014, he hasn’t lost much power.

His only big miss was on the par-5 15th hole, so far right he hit a provisional in case he couldn’t find it. He found it, took a penalty drop and made bogey.