Thursday 24 October 2019 08:02, UK
Tiger Woods produced a superb fightback to grab a share of the lead after the opening round of the inaugural Zozo Championship in Japan.
The 15-time major champion, making his first PGA Tour appearance since undergoing knee surgery in August, posted a six-under 64 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club to end the opening day in a share for the lead alongside Gary Woodland.
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Woods, who can equal Sam Snead's all-time record of 82 PGA Tour victories with a win this week, recovered from bogeying his opening three holes to make nine birdies and card his lowest round of 2019.
Beginning on the back nine alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Satoshi Kodaira, Woods found water off the 10th tee on his way to an opening bogey and failed to get up and down from the sand to save par at the next.
A three-putt bogey from the fringe at the 12th dropped Woods to three over, only for the 43-year-old to respond by holing a 15-footer at the 14th and adding further birdies over his next two holes.
Woods tapped in for a two-putt gain at the par-five 18th to get under par for the tournament, before following missed chances at the first and second by making a birdie-two at the third to get within one of the lead.
The world No 10 converted from 10 feet at the fourth and added another birdie from a similar distance at the par-three next to move into a share of the advantage, with Woods then draining a 20-footer at the seventh to move into the outright lead.
Woods, making his final competitive appearance ahead of naming his captain's picks for December's Presidents Cup, then knocked his approach to eight feet at the ninth on his way to a closing birdie to set the clubhouse target.
Woodland holed a 15-foot birdie at the last to move alongside Woods on six under, with home favourite Hideki Matsuyama a further stroke back after an opening-round 65.
CJ Cup champion Justin Thomas started his week with a level-par 70, while Rory McIlroy sits eight strokes off the pace after an opening-round 72.
Watch the ZOZO Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Due to the threat of bad weather, live coverage now continues from midnight on Sky Sports Golf.
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