Look: Remarkable Woods in Masters hunt after opening 71

Eye of the Tiger... Back playing the Masters after a career-threatening car crash, Tiger Woods said he thought he could win a sixth Green Jacket and made a few more believers after carding a solid opening 71 yesterday.

In his first competitive round of golf in 508 days, Woods mixed three birdies with two bogeys at Augusta National to sit in a tie for 10th four back of South Korea's Im Sung-jae, who is alone atop the leaderboard after posting a five-under 67 highlighted by an eagle at the par five 13th.

Woods, 46, suffered life-threatening injuries in a car crash 14 months ago, then feared his leg might be amputated.

Woods pumps his fist after a birdie putt on the 16th green. The 15-time major champion looked sharp in the opening round.

"There is a long way to go, it is a marathon, but it is nice to get off to a positive start," Woods said.

A view of the bag used by Woods during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Woods and caddie Joe LaCava line up a putt. South Korea's Im Sung-jae, runner-up in 2020, lead the way after a five-under 67.

Woods lines up another putt. The opening day was delayed by half an hour because of overnight thunderstorms, with testing windy conditions in the morning making way for a calmer afternoon in the sunshine.

"The place was electric," said Woods. "I hadn't played like this since 2019 when I won because in 2020 we had COVID and we had no one here, and I didn't play last year. So, to have the patrons fully out and to have that type of energy out there was awesome to feel."

Woods shakes hands with Chile's Joaquin Niemann on the 18th green after finishing the first round.