AUGUSTA, Ga. _ The spectators to the left of Augusta National's 14th fairway could not believe their good fortune. Blind to the tee, they suddenly noticed a ball bouncing toward them.
They looked and saw a Bridgestone logo. And then a black stamp: TIGER.
Big Cat was coming.
"We're going to be on TV," one woman said. "How's my hair?"
Great. But nothing looked as wonderful as Woods' 149-yard recovery shot. He and caddie Joe LaCava debated 8- or 9-iron and the shot shape.
"If I go 8, I can cut this thing, no problem," Woods said.
Moments later he asked: "Best place to miss is long right?"
"Lot of hurt," LaCava said of the wind in his face.
After Woods blasted it, a man hollered, "So stupid!" to capture the absurdity of the skill involved. The crowd surrounding the 14th green would be in awe shortly after. Woods drained the 25-footer for birdie and celebrated with two fist pumps _ the second while looking at the fans, something he rarely does.
That was Woods' peak Thursday, moving to 3 under and a share of the first-round Masters lead. But he missed an 8-footer for par on No. 17 and finished at 2-under 70.
He's four shots behind co-leaders Brooks Koepka _ who's seeking his fourth major in his last seven starts _ and Bryson DeChambeau. Phil Mickelson was alone in third place after a 5-under 67.
"A good, solid start," Woods said, reminding ESPN interviewer Tom Rinaldi that he shot 70 in the first round of three of his four Masters victories (1997, 2001, 2002). He won in 2005 after firing 74-66-65-71 and beating Chris DiMarco in a playoff.
Woods struck it decently enough Thursday, hitting 9 of 14 fairways and 11 greens. But flubbed 7-footers on Nos. 5 and 6 hurt him.
"Missed a few, sure," Woods said. "Hit a bad one there at 6. Other than that, it was a good, solid day."
Thursday's conditions _ warm with a light-to-moderate breeze _ seemed ideal for scoring. Tough pin positions kept anyone from going low early in the day, but 28 players finished the day in red figures.
