Tiger Woods Posts Strong Opening Round In Return To Masters

Topline

Tiger Woods once again energized crowds and drew nonstop media coverage Thursday during his opening round at the Masters, where his -1 score put him near the top of the leaderboard in his first major tournament since he was severely injured in a car crash last year.

Key Facts

As of 5:30 p.m. Eastern time, Woods’ -1 score had him tied for 11th in the 90-player field, just three strokes off the leaders.

Woods’ strong performance came as a surprise to many golf observers given he has not competed in a major event since the 2020 Masters.

Woods, 46, told ESPN after his round he intends to apply “lots of ice” to his body before playing his next 18 holes on Friday.

Key Background

Woods announced earlier this week he’d participate in the Masters, widely considered golf’s most prestigious tournament, even though he still has leg pain “each and every day.” Woods sustained open fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg in February 2021 after crashing his car over a median in Los Angeles. His injuries were so severe that doctors at one point considered amputation, and Woods ended up spending a month in the hospital. The crash came just as Woods appeared to be getting his storied golf career back on track after being plagued by injuries throughout the early- and mid-2010s. Woods finished first at the 2018 Tour Championship before winning the Masters in 2019.

What To Watch For

Woods said after his car crash that he’d never return to the PGA Tour full-time, telling Golf Digest he’d “pick and choose” certain events to play in.

Big Number

5. That’s how many Masters Woods has won, capturing his first green jacket in 1997. Only Jack Nicklaus has won it more with six titles.

Further Reading

Tiger Woods Says He’s Probably Going To Play In The Masters (Forbes)