Woods: Ready to pounce
A score could have been had out there. You could go get it.
Tiger Woods
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Tiger Woods insists he is happy to bide his time after he finished the opening round of the The Masters five shots behind early leader Chad Campbell.
The world number one let three shots slip from his grasp on the final two holes to deny himself his best first-round score in 15 Masters appearances.
Woods, playing his first round in a major championship since winning a play-off for the US Open title last June, ended the day with a two-under par 70 to settle for a share of 20th place.
The American missed a birdie putt at the 17th, then sent his approach at the 18th soaring over the green and into the crowd. His chip back rolled down the front of the green 50 feet from the cup before he two-putted for a bogey five.
"I let a couple shots slip away at the end but overall I'm happy with the way I hit the golf ball," said Woods, who has never broken 70 in the opening round at Augusta before.
Patient
"Overall, when you get warm conditions like this, guys can get the ball down there and get it flying."
Woods did, however, match his lowest first-round score ever at Augusta.
The omens are good for the American - the other three times he started with a 70 - 1997, 2001 and 2002 - he went on to win the tournament. In 2005, when he recorded his other Masters win, Woods opened with a 74.
A repeat of that feat would bring his 15th major title, three shy of the all-time record set by Jack Nicklaus, however Woods refuses to look that far ahead.
"We've got a long way to go. Conditions are going to start changing a little bit," he said.
"You've just got to keep patient, stay with it. It's not like I haven't been in this position before."
Unbelievable
Thursday's round was Woods' first in a major since knee surgery led to an eight-month lay-off.
The 33-year-old birdied three holes in a row starting at the par-five 13th after a birdie on the par-three sixth and a bogey to finish the front nine.
"A score could have been had out there. You could go get it," Woods said.
"I was in position. I didn't make any putts. I just kind of hung in there. I knew on the back nine I could have been four or five-under."
The worst moment came with his approach at 18.
"It was unbelievable," Woods said. "I hit just a little 8-iron and it flew 155 uphill. That's a long way to hit it. I hit a good shot and it ended up in a bad spot."
