AUGUSTA, Ga. — Even Tiger Woods gets nervous, hence a somewhat pedestrian record in opening rounds at Augusta National over the years. But Woods put that aside on Thursday and, despite his other golf woes in this pandemic-interrupted time, he played one of his best rounds of 2020, shooting 4-under-par 68 on Day 1 of the Masters.
The score matched his best opening-round score in 23 Masters and was just the second time he broke 70. He also shot 68 on the way to a tie for fourth in 2010.
It was the first time Woods played the first round of the Masters without a bogey. It was also the first time he played a round in a major without a bogey since the 2009 PGA Championship.
England’s Paul Casey was the early first-round leader with a 7-under-par 65. Webb Simpson and Xander Schauffele shot 67. Woods was tied with Hideki Matsuyama, Lee Westwood, Patrick Reed and Louis Oosthuizen.
The tournament that was delayed seven months due to the coronavirus pandemic was delayed some more early Thursday morning. After just a few players got their rounds started, inclement weather caused a 2-hour, 57-minute delay — meaning only half the field completed their rounds.
But it spared Woods from having to play in the rain, and when he emerged a few hours later, the clouds were gone and the sun was shining. It was a perfect day for golf, albeit with only about 100 spectators watching him tee off on the 10th.
Woods, 44, the defending and five-time Masters champion, overcame some early shakiness to play the first three holes with pars, then birdied both back-nine par-5s and knocked his approach close at the 16th. He played those second nine holes in 33 strokes, 3 under par.
And when he added a birdie at the par-4 first — typically a difficult hole for him over the years — he was high on the leaderboard.
Woods could not take advantage of the two front-side par-5s and missed 15-footers for birdie at the fourth and sixth holes, but at least he managed to par the fifth — the hole he bogeyed during all four rounds on his way to the 2019 title.
Due to Thursday’s delay, Woods will get a late start Friday and is unlikely to complete his second round that day.
