Poor start then Tiger hits back

TIGER Woods marked his return to PGA Tour action after a 12-month absence with a level-par 72 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

The 14-time Major winner hit the opening round’s halfway point oneover-par but recovered that shot on the back nine in a steady comeback.

Wo o d s e n d u r e d a frustrating start, suffering a bogey on the opening hole at Torrey Pines after missing a tricky putt to save par.

He dropped another shot at the par-four fifth but birdied the next hole and picked up another two gains either side of a bogey after the turn.

The 42-year-old closed his round holding a share of 83rd place, seven shots adrift of clubhouse leader Tony Finau.

Summing up round one, he said it was “fun to compete again” but he admitted he was “probably a little bit rusty”.

After nearly making an ace the par-3 16th, he said: “It was just a full six-iron. I just had to throw it up in the air as high as I could. It felt good, it looked good and then we were j ust listening for some noise.”

Asked what changes he would need to make for round two, he added: “I’ve got to hit my irons a little better than I did today.

“I didn’t hit them very close, didn’t give myself a lot of looks. It’s hard to make a lot of birdies when you’re not giving yourself any looks and I didn’t do that today.

“So tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll drive better and hit irons a lot closer. We’ve got the better of the two greens tomorrow.”

Woods has won eight times at Torrey Pines, including his last Major in the 2008 US Open.

Tiger Woods