Tiger Woods looked solid, but not entirely pain-free on his return to competition, teaming with his 12-year-old son Charlie to shoot a bogey-free 62 at the PNC Championship.
After a February car crash that shattered his leg, Woods received a huge ovation from spectators, as he crushed his tee-shot on the par-four first hole on a warm day at the relaxed non-PGA Tour event in Orlando.
Tiger and Charlie wore matching peach-coloured shirts and black trousers, playing alongside Justin Thomas and dad Mike at the tournament, which featured 19 father-son pairs and the father-daughter team of former ATP tennis star Petr Kord and daughter Nelly Korda.
Team Woods finished tied for fifth place, three strokes behind leaders Team Cink entering Monday's second and final round.
"It was awesome," says a smiling Woods, after he and Charlie had 10 birdies.
"It was a boatload of fun for all of us. Charlie and I had a great day playing with the Thomas family.
"It just couldn't get any better than that."
Woods says he is a long way from being able to compete in a PGA Tour event, after the one-car accident near Los Angeles 10 months ago nearly saw his leg amputated.
He used a cart to get around the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club and seemed to limp slightly when walking. He grimaced in apparent discomfort, after hitting a tee shot on the par-four 16th.
"Oh yeah, I'm tired," Woods says. "Even though I had the chance to ride the cart, I'm not in golf shape.
"Like anything, if you don't have to endure it, you start slowing down. It's nice to have a partner who can hit drives like he did and make a few putts."
Woods, 45, who endured back and knee surgeries in his career, before undergoing a back fusion in 2017, has not set a timeframe to return to the PGA Tour, but says he would love to play in the British Open next July.
The American is tied with Sam Snead for most wins on the PGA Tour with 82 and his 15 Major championships puts him three shy of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 titles.
Reuters
