Again taking part in the Masters after a career-threatening automobile crash, Tiger Woods says he can win a sixth Inexperienced Jacket, making a number of extra believers by carding an opening-round 71.
In his first aggressive spherical of golf in 508 days, Woods combined three birdies with two bogeys at Augusta Nationwide to sit down three behind Australian Cameron Smith, who has continued his sizzling type to seize the clubhouse lead with a birdie-filled first spherical on the Masters.
Though the yr’s first main featured all of golf’s greatest, there was just one man most had come to see: the world’s 973rd ranked participant, Woods.
It was a outstanding effort from the 15-times main champion simply 14 months after docs had thought-about the potential for having to amputate his proper leg, which was mangled in a single-car accident.
“I fought again and for the day to finish up within the pink. I’m proper the place I should be,” Woods mentioned.
“I figured as soon as the adrenaline kicks in and I obtained fired up and I obtained into my little world I ought to be capable to deal with enterprise.”
Woods mentioned he was ready to play with ache and at occasions noticeably limped as he made his means across the undulating structure considered one of many hardest walks on the PGA Tour.
The 46-year-old, sporting a pink shirt and black pants, had his recreation face on as he walked out to the primary tee the place your complete size of the par-four 445-yard opening gap was lined with 1000’s of spectators.
After 5 consecutive pars, Woods practically aced the par-three sixth gap the place his tee shot stopped two toes from the cup to arrange his first birdie which was adopted by his first bogey on the eighth.
Even par coming into Amen Nook, Woods made it by way of the notorious stretch of holes unscathed, choosing up his second birdie at 13.
That was adopted by one other bogey at 14 however the sixteenth supplied classic Woods as he rolled in a monster 29-foot birdie putt and celebrated with a trademark fist pump.
Double-bogeys mar Smith’s spherical
In the meantime, Smith performed majestically in blustery winds at Augusta Nationwide to card a four-under-par 68 on Thursday that would have been something if not for 2 double-bogeys that bookended his spherical.
Smith shrugged off his first double on the opening gap to rattle in eight birdies to open up a two-shot buffer teeing off on the 18th.
Alas, Australia’s world quantity six completed his spherical as he began with a six on the par-4 final after slicing his drive into the bushes after which three-putting.
When he signed off, Smith was sharing the lead with Sungjae Im, the Korean who completed joint runner-up with Smith in 2020 behind Dustin Johnson.
Rain delayed Smith’s spherical by half an hour however nothing might cease him from choosing up from the place he left off in profitable final month’s Gamers Championship in Florida.
The Queenslander hadn’t performed competitively since bagging a file 10 birdies within the ultimate spherical at TPC Sawgrass.
He arrived at Augusta Nationwide among the many favourites and stuffed with confidence.
Not even his sloppy six on the par-4 opener, after he discovered a fairway bunker off the tee, then missed a seven-foot putt for bogey, might shake the 28-year-old’s perception.
After a scrambling par on the second, Smith made his first birdie on the fifth, then picked up additional pictures on six, eight and 9 to succeed in the flip at two-under.
When he birdied the treacherous par-3 twelfth as properly over the water on Amen Nook, sinking an 11-footer, Smith discovered himself joint chief with Im.
However Smith rapidly shot two pictures clear with a hat-trick of birdies on 14, 15 and 16 — solely to falter on the final.
Amongst Australia’s different morning starters, Masters debutant Min Woo Lee had a rollercoaster spherical of one-over 73 that includes 5 birdies, 4 bogeys and a double.
Nonetheless on the course, fellow Masters rookie Lucas Herbert was even par by way of 10 holes, with 2013 champion Adam Scott one over after 16 holes.
Marc Leishman and Cam Davis have been additionally two-over taking part in the again 9.
AAP/Reuters