Augusta (United States) (AFP) - Tiger Woods battled through constant leg pain to fire a two-over par 74 in Thursday's opening round of the 87th Masters, his worst 18-hole start at Augusta National since 2005.
The 15-time major winner, who owns five green jackets, also shot 74 in round one 18 years ago but recovered to win the title.
This time, however, Woods continues to struggle with the severe leg injuries suffered in a 2021 car crash and could have a fight simply to make the 36-hole cut to the low 50 and level.
"I felt like I drove it good," Woods said."I just didn't do the job I need to do to get the ball close.Today was the opportune time to get the round under par and I didn't do that."
Woods, who ended an 11-year major title drought by winning the 2019 Masters, hopes to improve his second shots Friday, when afternoon storms are forecast.
"Hopefully tomorrow I'll be a little bit better, a little bit sharper, and kind of inch my way through it," Woods said."Hopefully it will be positive towards the end."
Woods complained his right leg, held together with metal plates and screws, felt "sore" and his pain was "constant" throughout the walk across the undulating layout.
The 47-year-old still struggles to get around courses, seeing a small victory in his ability to walk 72 holes last year and share 47th in his comeback event.
The former world number one, now ranked 1,001, said this week he's unsure how many more times he will play the Masters due to his physical issues.
Woods made a bogey at the third hole, coming up short on his approach and missing an eight-foot par putt, then had three-putt bogeys at the fifth and seventh.
At the par-5 eighth, Woods chipped his third shot 37 yards over a hill to within inches of the hole for a tap-in birdie.
Woods saved bogey from eight feet at 11 then made a late charge with a 27-foot birdie putt at the par-5 15th hole and an eight-footer for birdie at the par-3 16th.
But he stumbled, literally and figuratively, at the 18th, sending his second shot into greenside sand after being forced to stand with his left leg in a fairway bunker.
Woods, who hopped several times on his left leg, missed a 22-foot par putt before tapping in to close his day.
"I'm good," Woods said."Hop on the left leg is fine.If I did it on the other one, not so fine."
