AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods has teed off at the Masters.
His round began at 11:04 a.m., the official marking of his return to competitive golf after about 18 months away, first because of back surgery and then — and primarily — because of a car crash so severe that it nearly cost him one of his legs.
He shook hands with his playing partners, Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann. He then took the driver from his bag, removed the head cover — a plush tiger, of course — and went through the final stages of limbering up.
Patrons lined both sides of the first fairway and surrounded the tee box, trying desperately to just capture a glimpse of the moment. Woods was first to play in the group, tugged at the bill of his cap when he was introduced to acknowledge the fans, then stepped to the ball.
He didn’t appear to like the outcome, grimacing a bit as he watched the ball fly toward a bunker along the right side of the fairway.
But he was back. His Masters was underway.