Stenson in front, Tiger in the hunt at Bay Hill

Henrik Stenson had a hot putter, a quiet crowd and a one-shot lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

One week after Stenson returned from a month off and spent two days with Tiger Woods and his raucous crowds, he made birdie on half of the holes at Bay Hill for an 8-under 64.

Stenson led over a pair of rookies, Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch.

Woods played Thursday morning and overcame a tee shot that was out-of-bounds by inches. He followed with two birdies on par 5s and a 70-foot birdie putt for a 68 on the course where he has won a record eight times.

It was the first time Woods has broken par in the opening round since returning from a fourth back surgery.

Woods returned to Bay Hill for

the first time since his record eighth victory in 2013, and it was like he had never left. The gallery was enormous, especially with an unseasonable chill in the air, and he delivered a memorable show.

Last week at Innisbrook was the first time he broke par in the opening round since his return following a fourth back surgery. Thursday at Bay Hill was the first he broke 70. Each round seems to get a little better.

“I feel like I’m not really thinking as much around the golf course,” Woods said. “I can just see and feel it and go.”

Coming off a runner-up finish at the Valspar Championship that raised expectations of a victory being closer than ever, Woods started and finished strong, with one mishap in the middle.

His drive on No. 3, his 12th hole of the round,

sailed to the right and went off a cart path and toward the houses. Only when he reached the ball did Woods find it rolled into the bottom of a mesh fence. It looked like it was in play, except the poles on the waist-high fence were the boundaries, and his ball was inches outside of them.