Tiger Woods had played just 24 holes this year coming into the opening round of the Masters.
The 15-time major champion will now challenge his worn-out body by taking on almost as many opponents in just one day.
Woods is aiming to set a Masters-record 24th consecutive cut and had a steady start on Thursday, finishing one under par through 13 holes before play was stopped due to darkness.
The 48-year-old will complete the remaining five holes of his first round and then move on to play another 18 on a tough golf course.
Woods, who made a comeback to the golfing world following a nearly fatal car accident in 2021 that nearly led to the amputation of his right leg, expressed that he is coping well.
“My physical condition is satisfactory, although there are still some tasks to be accomplished tonight,” stated Woods, who had previously undergone surgery on his ankle in the previous year.
We’ll start by warming up before heading down there to begin our round (on Friday local time).
The break between rounds will be around 20 to 30 minutes, allowing for a smooth transition from the first round to the second.
Due to storms causing a delay of two and a half hours for the year’s first major, the rainy and gusty conditions were not in Woods’ favor. However, when he teed off in the afternoon alongside Max Homa and Australia’s former world No.1 Jason Day, the sun and heat had made a comeback.
Woods began his round on a high note by scoring a birdie at the first hole, a feat he had achieved only once previously, back in 1999.
“I don’t remember the other time, to be honest with you,” Woods said.
“I hit a nice three-wood off of one, hit a nice little eight-iron in there about 10, 12 feet and made the putt.”
He had to execute some remarkable recoveries, including a daring shot with his non-dominant hand from a tree root in the forest on the second hole, in order to remain in the lead and complete the round with a score below par.
“The wind was extremely unpredictable,” he remarked. “It was one of the most challenging days I have ever experienced.”
Trying to figure out the rhythm and intensity was a challenge, as it kept changing constantly, affecting the timing of putts on the greens. Today was quite a tough day.
This marks Woods’ return to the game after pulling out of the Genesis Invitational in February due to flu-like symptoms, and it’s been a year since his last major tournament.
He successfully qualified for the last year’s Masters tournament, however, he decided to withdraw before the conclusion of the rain-interrupted third round due to issues with his ankle. These ankle problems eventually led him to undergo surgery.
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