Tiger Woods carded a 1-over 73 in his first Masters round in three years. He says he played better than that score but needs to do better on the par-5s if he’s going to make a move.
Tiger Woods finished his opening round at the Masters with a 1-over-par 73 on Thursday at Augusta National.
Woods says he “definitely didn’t score as well as I played,” noting that he has to be better on the par-5s.
Woods has feasted on Augusta National’s longest holes over the years, but pared each of them in his return to golf’s first major.
“That was the difference in the round,” he said.
The 42-year-old Woods has been away from golf for much of the last few years because of his four back surgeries. The Masters is his first major since playing the PGA Championship in August 2015.
He was back in the Masters field for the first time in 1,089 days.
Woods played Amen Corner in 2 over (two bogeys and a par) before rolling in birdies at No. 14 and No. 16 to gain some momentum entering Friday.
He finished Round 1 with 11 pars, three birdies and four bogeys.
The 73 was the same score he opened with the last time he played the Masters, in 2015.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
