Tiger Woods showed little early sign of rust in his first tournament for almost five months while veteran Tom Watson grabbed a share of the limelight at the U.S. Masters on Thursday.
Disgraced world number one Woods, welcomed back from self-imposed exile by cheering crowds at Augusta National, calmly sank a five-footer to birdie the par-four third and was one under for the opening round after six holes.
While he drew the day's biggest crowds, the 60-year-old Watson fired a flawless five-under-par 67 to share the early lead with fellow American Phil Mickelson, Britain's Lee Westwood and South Korea's Yang Yong-eun.
American Anthony Kim birdied the last three holes for a 68 and compatriot David Toms bogeyed the 18th for a 69.
The main focus was on four-times champion Woods as he set off for one of the most eagerly anticipated rounds of all time.
Despite not having competed since winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15 following stunning revelations about his extra-marital affairs, he parred the first two holes before recording his first birdie after a superb approach at the third.
He recovered from his first wayward drive at the fifth, where he pushed his tee shot into the right rough, and remained at one under after parring the sixth.
Under leaden skies, the galleries were packed at least five-deep all the way down the opening hole to watch Woods start what media experts predict will be the biggest single-day television audience for a U.S. golf event.
EMOTIONAL STATE
While the American had to be feeling a little anxious about his emotional state of mind, he offered a warm smile as he shook hands with playing partners KJ Choi of South Korea 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", not a hint of heckling and plenty of hooting and hollering in the loudest applause the world number one has received all week.
While Woods began his opening round in strengthening winds, eight-times major winner Watson was putting the finishing touches to a vintage display.
The 60-year-old, who came agonisingly close to the most remarkable major victory of all time before losing the 2009 British Open at Turnberry in a playoff, rolled in a five-footer to birdie the last.
He threw his arm skywards in celebration to take a two-stroke lead over Toms before being caught by Westwood, Mickelson and Yang.
"I did what I had to do today and took advantage of some of the holes that you could take advantage of at Augusta National," Watson told reporters.
"I had a little bit of a different frame of mind going into this tournament. It seemed to help a little bit. The last four or five years I've gone into the tournament feeling like the course was too big for me.
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