SHAKY RETURN TO MATCH PLAY FOR TIGER

AUSTIN, TEXAS— Six years later, the Dell Technologies Match Play was all too familiar for Tiger Woods.

He was on the cusp of losing his fourth straight hole Wednesday when Woods poured in a 10-foot par putt, and Aaron Wise three-putted from 30 feet. Just like that, momentum swung in his favor. Woods won three of the next six holes and won his opening match.

The round-robin format is new to Woods, who last played this event in 2013.

He had never been to Austin Country Club.

What doesn’t change is the fickle nature of match play.

“I was up, the next thing I’m down in the match,” Woods said. “Looked like I was about ready to go two-down through 11. All of a sudden, I’m all square. I’m up and throw away a hole with a three-putt. It’s one of those weird matches.”

And it was like that all over the place in the opening session of group play.

Jim Furyk, who only two weeks ago never imagined he would be in the 64-man field, was 3 down to Jason Day when he won three straight holes around the turn, and ultimately the last two holes to win.

Ian Poulter was on his way to atoning for his 8-and-6 quarterfinal loss last year to Kevin Kisner until he watched Kisner jar a wedge from 58 yards for eagle, forcing Poulter to birdie the last two holes to win.

“I wasn’t going to roll over like last year,” he said.

Jordan Spieth birdied his last two holes for a halve against Billy Horschel, which felt bigger than that the way his year has gone.

“Feels like a win to me,” Spieth said. “If I were on his side of things, that’s kind of a tough go.”

Woods is a three-time winner of the World Golf Championship and has experienced enough to realize that scores don’t matter as long as he wins.

“The way we were playing today, we’re very thankful it’s not stroke play,” Woods said with a laugh.