NASSAU, Bahamas: Tiger Woods teed off in the opening round of the Hero World Challenge Thursday to launch his long-awaited competitive comeback, the 14-time major champion having missed 16 months following back surgery.
The former world No.1, now at 898th in the rankings, sent his first shot into the rough left of the first fairway at the 7,302-yard Albany Golf Club layout to end his longest career layoff after 466 days.
Playing alongside fellow American Patrick Reed in windy conditions, Woods — clad in black shirt, pants, cap and shoes — blasted his approach onto the green 15 feet from the hole. His birdie putt slid two feet past the cup and he tapped in for a par at the 423-yard dogleg right first hole.
Woods hosts the 18-man invitational event on an Ernie Els-designed par-72 course complete with natural Caribbean brush and sand collecting wayward shots from a field that includes six of the world’s top-10 players.
“Can’t wait to get back out there and mix it up with the boys,” Woods tweeted two hours before his opening tee shot.
Excitement built around the isolated Bahamas billionaire enclave after Woods, whose yacht is among those docked near the course, made two eagles Wednesday in a pro-am round. He sank a 15-foot eagle putt at the par-5 third, a 12-foot eagle putt at the par-5 ninth and closed with a 15-foot par putt.
“He’s playing on a course he knows pretty well,” said South Africa’s Els, a four-time major champion. “I think he has a good opportunity to get a score under his belt and from there you never know.”
Woods, who turns 41 on December 30, had not played competitively since he shared 10th at the PGA Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, in August 2015.
He has struggled with knee and leg injuries in recent seasons, playing only 32 competitive rounds last year and just 21 in 2014 after failed comeback bids. At last year’s Challenge, Woods wondered if he might never play again as he battled back pain that faded with time.
Dodt on top in Australia
Australia’s Andrew Dodt carded eight birdies to be the clubhouse leader at a storm-hit Australian PGA Championship, with former winner Adam Scott three off the lead at Royal Pines on Thursday.
Two-time European Tour winner Dodt came home in 31 to be seven-under for the tournament after a 65 and hold a two-shot lead over New Zealander Ryan Fox and American Julian Suri.
American Harold Varner III made a late charge to five-under after four consecutive birdies and then another on the 13th before having to scurry for cover as a thunderstorm deluged the course and forced play to be abandoned for the day.
Almost half the field are still to complete their first round at will return at 5:00 am Friday, with the second round teeing off at 7:00 am.
World No.7 Adam Scott, who has finished first and second in his last two appearances at Royal Pines, was in a group of players three shots off the lead.
Dodt started on the 10th and turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey but came to life on the front nine.
He birdied the first, third and fifth to join a four-way tie for the lead and then broke away with closing gains on the eighth and ninth.
Randhawa shares lead
Local favorite Jyoti Randhawa fired three closing birdies to grab a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Panasonic Open India golf tournament in New Delhi on Thursday.
Randhawa finished with a five-under-par 67 along with compatriot Mukesh Kumar after the opening round of the $400,000 Asian Tour event which was delayed by thick fog for four hours in the morning before fading light brought an early end to the day’s proceedings.
Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan shot a 70 to sit in third place alongside a host of players who will return on Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.
Defending champion Chiragh Kumar of India returned with a 71 to stay four shots off the pace at the Delhi Golf Club.
Randhawa, the former Asian No.1 continued his recent run of fine form for a solid start at a venue where he has won four Asian Tour titles previously.
The former world No.1, now at 898th in the rankings, sent his first shot into the rough left of the first fairway at the 7,302-yard Albany Golf Club layout to end his longest career layoff after 466 days.
Playing alongside fellow American Patrick Reed in windy conditions, Woods — clad in black shirt, pants, cap and shoes — blasted his approach onto the green 15 feet from the hole. His birdie putt slid two feet past the cup and he tapped in for a par at the 423-yard dogleg right first hole.
Woods hosts the 18-man invitational event on an Ernie Els-designed par-72 course complete with natural Caribbean brush and sand collecting wayward shots from a field that includes six of the world’s top-10 players.
“Can’t wait to get back out there and mix it up with the boys,” Woods tweeted two hours before his opening tee shot.
Excitement built around the isolated Bahamas billionaire enclave after Woods, whose yacht is among those docked near the course, made two eagles Wednesday in a pro-am round. He sank a 15-foot eagle putt at the par-5 third, a 12-foot eagle putt at the par-5 ninth and closed with a 15-foot par putt.
“He’s playing on a course he knows pretty well,” said South Africa’s Els, a four-time major champion. “I think he has a good opportunity to get a score under his belt and from there you never know.”
Woods, who turns 41 on December 30, had not played competitively since he shared 10th at the PGA Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, in August 2015.
He has struggled with knee and leg injuries in recent seasons, playing only 32 competitive rounds last year and just 21 in 2014 after failed comeback bids. At last year’s Challenge, Woods wondered if he might never play again as he battled back pain that faded with time.
Dodt on top in Australia
Australia’s Andrew Dodt carded eight birdies to be the clubhouse leader at a storm-hit Australian PGA Championship, with former winner Adam Scott three off the lead at Royal Pines on Thursday.
Two-time European Tour winner Dodt came home in 31 to be seven-under for the tournament after a 65 and hold a two-shot lead over New Zealander Ryan Fox and American Julian Suri.
American Harold Varner III made a late charge to five-under after four consecutive birdies and then another on the 13th before having to scurry for cover as a thunderstorm deluged the course and forced play to be abandoned for the day.
Almost half the field are still to complete their first round at will return at 5:00 am Friday, with the second round teeing off at 7:00 am.
World No.7 Adam Scott, who has finished first and second in his last two appearances at Royal Pines, was in a group of players three shots off the lead.
Dodt started on the 10th and turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey but came to life on the front nine.
He birdied the first, third and fifth to join a four-way tie for the lead and then broke away with closing gains on the eighth and ninth.
Randhawa shares lead
Local favorite Jyoti Randhawa fired three closing birdies to grab a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Panasonic Open India golf tournament in New Delhi on Thursday.
Randhawa finished with a five-under-par 67 along with compatriot Mukesh Kumar after the opening round of the $400,000 Asian Tour event which was delayed by thick fog for four hours in the morning before fading light brought an early end to the day’s proceedings.
Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan shot a 70 to sit in third place alongside a host of players who will return on Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.
Defending champion Chiragh Kumar of India returned with a 71 to stay four shots off the pace at the Delhi Golf Club.
Randhawa, the former Asian No.1 continued his recent run of fine form for a solid start at a venue where he has won four Asian Tour titles previously.
