TIGER’S BACK ..AND BACKED
Augusta punters lump on after birdie blitz
TIGER WOODS cranked up the Augusta hype in his last event before the US Masters with a 70-foot birdie putt at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
And the world No.149, who opened with a sensational four-under 68, is now favourite with US bookies for the first Major of the season next month.
“There’s a lot of gambleholics out there,” said Woods, runner-up to Paul Casey in Florida on Sunday.
In his fifth PGA Tour event since back surgery last April, the American superstar birdied all four par-fives in a round for the first time since 2015. Only an 18th-hole eagle from Jimmy Walker prevented Woods sharing the early clubhouse lead at Bay Hill.
The 14-time Major winner, who has won eight times at Bay Hill, said: “When I first came back I was just getting my feel for tournament golf again and now it’s back. What do I need to improve before the Masters? Everything can be shored up a little bit.”
Woods said his 70-foot birdie putt at a par-three was lucky.
“It had too much steam on it. Luckily it hit the hole or it would have rolled eight feet past,” he said.
He needed only 25 putts – and hit eight out of 14 fairways.
Woods finished the opening round four shots behind leader Henrik Stenson, who shot a stunning 64. Rory Mcilroy double-bogeyed the last to finish on three under, level with Justin Rose.