AUGUSTA, GA - Tiger Woods roared off the 18th green after winning his fifth Masters title in 2019. This Thursday in the deafening silence of Augusta national golf club, the Tiger took a momentous first step towards a sixth green jacket, by simply equaling the best first round in its history at the Masters (68)

ZOZO Championship: Woods vows to defend title at Sherwood

Tiger Woods - © PGA Tour

Displaying a form similar to that which took him to victory last year, Woods completed a perfect first lap in 68 (-4) without the shadow of a bogey, and remains in ambush three lengths of the leader. of the day, Paul Casey.

The only time Woods played less than 70 in the first round in 23 Masters appearances was in 2010, he played 68 when he came back just after the media scandal that rocked the golf world. And it was his first run without a bogey in a major since the first round of the 2009 PGA Championship.

“I did it all right,” said Woods, who is also in line to break a new record, an 83rd PGA Tour title. “I drove well and touched my irons well. The only real bad move today was I think on the 8.

“The only thing I could say is I wish I had put in a few more putts. I missed everything on the way up. The putts just weren't falling, it's just different and also very slow with the delay due to the weather, and the amount of water absorbed by the greens is likely to be a game-changer ”

Woods was not hampered by the nearly three hour suspension from play due to the storm that hit the town around 7:30 am During the delay, he kept his 44-year-old body supple as he continued. to stretch while continuing to feed.

Once Woods took the start he left a man behind him who posted just a top-10 in eight starts this year where he fell back from the top 30 for the first time in two years.

Instead, he looked like the Woods of the great days who won 15 majors, five Masters and comes to defend his title after fending off Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Scheatele in one fell swoop last year.

While others may have been surprised by his first round in form, Woods was not.

“I think understanding how to play on this course is very important,” he said. “I have been fortunate to have played many training games throughout my career on this field with so many former winners, and I was able to win this tournament at the start of my career and build myself with it. the idea that I would come back to play here every year. The fact that the Masters is played on the same site every year is an asset for me, unlike the other three Slam tournaments. ”

“So understanding how to play is a big factor. "

Starting in the 10th, Woods, just like he did last year in the final round, birdied the 13th, 15th and 16th holes. But after birdieing to go to -4 - it was just his eighth birdie on the hole in 87 laps at Augusta National -

But Woods, who quickly adapted to the environment - calm as it was - was delighted with the round, especially after touching 15 greens on 18 and 10 of the 14 fairways in regulation.

“There were a lot of differences today, playing on a 1 and a 10,” said Woods. “This morning I was on the putting green and getting ready, and when they introduced Gary (Woodland), we were on the putting green and we couldn't hear them because of the noise made by the drone flying over the green.

“As the cameramen would say, There are no fans, no roar to give us directions and know where the ball landed. It's very different. Lots of premieres today. This is how it went all year. The fact that we are able to compete for a Masters under the circumstances is a great opportunity for all of us.

Friday will be different for Woods as well. Due to the delay he will not start his second round until around 15pm which means he will have to finish his second round on Saturday and if he makes the cut he will also start the third round.

“I got off to a quick start today which is good,” he said. “With these conditions you have to be aggressive. There is no reason why we cannot attack a lot of flags. ”

Leaderboard

See the latest article on Woods

Tiger Woods: 19th hole on new course wows fans