The world No 1 Scottie Scheffler was out on the course at the Masters, former champion Danny Willett was surging, and potential star Cameron Smith was showing the sort of form that could finally end his major championship hoodoo.
But in this particular moment, none of it mattered. Because over on the sixth hole, something was happening. At the 180 yard par-three, the Tiger Woods of old was happening.
Having played a sublime short-iron to leave himself inches from the flag, the American momentarily had the sporting world convinced in a way only he can. The resolve, the steely gaze, the ludicrously obvious desire, all were enough to momentarily render actual logic irrelevant. Tiger, was here to win again.
In reality, that notion is a nigh-on impossible one outside of Hollywood scripts. The physical toll Augusta will take on Woods mean simply finishing four rounds will be a seismic achievement.
The 18-month gap between now and his last PGA tournament only exacerbates the unlikelihood of him playing consistently playing well between now and Sunday.
But what fascinated about this round of 71 was this was the Tiger of old in every aspect, except for his play itself. The mentality and obsessive focus remains, the intention to overpower a golf course does not.
For Woods' one-under par effort represented a golfer who knew his limitations, and knew how to hang in there, by negotiating holes rather than dominating them. He began somewhat erratically by finding a fairway bunker off the first tee, but recovered to par that and the three holes that followed.
On the fifth a birdie putt somehow lipped out - on the sixth, his sublime approach meant that there was no such chance. Then however, came a turbulent period. A spell which could have seen his round collapse. It didn't.
His drive went astray on the par-four seventh before he gain salvaged par, but did bogey on the par-five eighth after wastefully missing the green with his third. He was in the trees on nine but salvaged things again, before another gutsy save on 10.
A birdie on the par-five 13 was negated by a dropped shot on 14, but then on 16 came another moment of magic. At the scene of arguably his most iconic Masters shot, he drained a 15-footer and the roars that followed suggested that then leader Smith was anything but the main story here.
The finish was messy but fitting. Another hooked drive raised fears his right leg was struggling under the strain, threatening to taint and otherwise remarkable effort. From the trees he recovered to leave himself a testing six footer to save par. Again, nerve and resolve prevailed.
The overriding conclusion should be clear - for a 46-year-old man to shoot 71 at the Masters on the back of the 14 months that Woods has endured, represented another sensational chapter in an already lengthy career book.
It will get harder tomorrow, and harder still on the weekend should he remain in the field by then. Every swing, every walk, every completed hole is likely to gnaw away at his reserves. Fatigue will inevitably become a factor. But Woods will still fight, still believe, still continue to work his way around a course he knows better than any other.
And the beauty of it is, for as long as he believes, we'll all believe with him.
