Golf: Just like old times with Tiger in hunt

Tiger Woods watches his shot on the 12th hole during the first round for the Masters golf tournament on Thursday. Photo / AP

The name on top of the leaderboard was as familiar as the shouts of encouragement that followed Tiger Woods everywhere he went in the opening round of the Masters.

For a little while, at least, it was beginning to look like old times at Augusta National.

The booming drives seemed the same on a day when the ball was carrying far for everyone. The putting stroke was good enough, especially on the 14th hole, when Woods drained a putt from across the hilly green for an improbable birdie.

And perhaps the most important thing? The confidence seemed back, even if Woods didn't quite get his history right after a 2-under 70 left him four shots off the lead after the first round.

"It's not a bad start," Woods said. "I've only shot like under 70 one time [in the opening round], but I've shot 70 the four times that I have won here."

It was three, actually, since Woods opened with a 74 in 2005 before roaring back to win in a playoff with Chris DiMarco. Hard to imagine then, but that's the last time anyone was sizing Woods up for a green jacket.

Woods didn't get much else wrong on a day when birdies were plentiful but swirling winds kept scores from trending too low. It was the kind of day that called for course management, and Woods knows more than most in the field how to take on Augusta National after playing 21 times previously in the Masters.

If the start was decent, it wasn't great. Woods wasn't even the best player this day in his threesome, as Jon Rahm finished off a 69 to edge him by a shot.

And, of course, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau loom large four shots ahead after opening 66s.

But decent in the opening round was good enough to win three of his green jackets. And Woods seemed to like the symmetry of this 70, even if it came because he bogeyed the 17th hole after hitting his tee shot into the trees.

Woods was tied for the lead for the better part of an hour, the first time since the final round in 2007 that his name has been atop the gleaming white Masters leaderboards.

His bogey on 17 dropped him back, but at 2 under, he's in the middle of a large pack of players chasing the leaders.

Whether he can stay there depends as much on his mindset as his putting stroke. Woods, 43, proved he can win again after roaring to victory in the Tour Championship last year, but winning the majors is always more difficult. His track record since his win at the US Open 11 years ago is not good.

But who knows? Come Sunday, things could really look familiar if Tigermania breaks out again.

- AP