Tiger Woods set off for one of the most eagerly anticipated rounds of all time by hitting his tee shot to the right side of the fairway in the U.S. Masters first round on Thursday.
The disgraced world number one, playing in his first tournament for almost five months, struck a solid blow and looked calm as his ball bounced up the hill to finish just beyond a fairway bunker.
Woods, a four-times champion at Augusta National, has not competed since winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15 following stunning revelations about his extra-marital affairs.
Under leaden skies, the galleries were packed at least five-deep all the way down the opening hole to watch the game's leading player start what media experts predict will be the biggest single-day television audience ever in the U.S.
While Woods had to be feeling a little anxious about his emotional state of mind, he exuded a warm smile as he shook hands with playing partners, South Korean KJ Choi and American Matt Kuchar on the first tee.
The official starter announced: "On the tee, Tiger Woods", prompting loud cheering by the fans crammed on either side of the fairway in front of the imposing clubhouse at Augusta.
There were calls of "Go Tiger" and plenty of hooting and hollering in the loudest applause the world number one has received all week.
The 34-year-old Woods is bidding to become the first player to launch his season with a major victory since fellow American Ben Hogan clinched the 1953 Masters.
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