There was no doubting the biggest roar from the galleries at Augusta on Thursday after Tiger Woods went agonisingly close to a hole-in-one.
The eyes of the world were on the 15-time major champion as he teed off at the Masters, having not played in a professional tournament since his horrific high-speed car crash last February. And following more than a year of rehabilitation, pundits were dubious as to how he'd cope with the arduous nature of the course.
But having showed no shortage of his famous resolve to par the opening four holes, Woods looked set to birdie the par-4 fifth hole only for his putt to lip out from the cup. On the following hole though, he made absolutely sure.
On the 180-yard par-three sixth, Woods appeared to take a mid-iron, and attempted to cut his ball back towards the flag. He did so to devastating effect, landing his shot just inches from the hole.
He tapped in for birdie amid huge cheers from spectators, and allayed fears that we would struggle physically after being seen limping in the practice area the previous evening. And the shot was enough to light up social media as well.
@spbhanot tweeted: "Flighted little mid-iron cut up onto the tiny back shelf on the 6th at the Masters - a golfer's golf shot. Crazy that Tiger Woods is even able to play, let alone hit seriously crafty shots like this!"
The official Bally Bet account added: "Tiger Woods with a near ace on 6. What a SHOT!," while @timeforjamie joked: "If that shot by Tiger on the 6th had gone in for a hole in one they would have had to call the rest of the tournament off."
Woods, 46, nearly undid his work on the next hole, but salvaged par with another brave up and down. He did then bogey the par-five eighth, after wastefully missing the green with his third shot.
Woods ensured he finished his front nine level par though, after holing another tricky putt to cement an impressive start to his return.
"He knows every part of this golf course," said Harmon. "He's played it a thousand times, he's researched it, he knows it [Augusta] better than anyone."
Fellow pundit Rich Beem added it was notable that Woods wasn't trying to "overpower" the golf course. The five-time Masters winner had previously stated that he hadn't entered the tournament just for the sake of participating.
When asked by a journalist on Tuesday if he believed he could win a sixth green jacket, he replied "I do."
