Tiger Woods shows old magic on return to Major golf
ByReuters
Updated 12/04/2015 at 13:08 GMT
The ferocious fist pump was back and the roars echoed around Augusta National once again for Tiger Woods, who turned back the clock during his first nine in the third round of the Masters on Saturday.
Tiger Woods speaks after round two of The Masters at Augusta.
Image credit: Perform
Woods, returning from a two-month hiatus from competition, and a two-year absence from Augusta due to back surgery last year, was his old self in a rousing, four-under-par charge in his first nine holes that took him to six-under.
The 39-year-old American was hitting pin-seeking approach shots that gave him tap-ins for birdies, and chipped up close for other opportunities to the delight of the huge gallery following him.
The four-times Masters winner ran off three birdies in a row from the second hole in a charge reminiscent of the heyday of the 14-times major champion. He had four birdies without a bogey on the front side.
"I'm starting to get my feel back, my distance control on my shots," said Woods, who had two more birdies and two bogeys on the back nine to post 68 for a 210 total.
"I missed a couple of shorties on six and seven, and I had my chances to make this a really special round today," said Woods, who bogeyed the 18th after hitting into the trees on the right off the tee.
"If I made a couple more putts the score realistically should have been six or seven (under par) today."
Woods was paired with Sergio Garcia of Spain, with whom he has had an icy relationship over the years.
The two had very little interaction, and the focus fell on the 39-year-old Woods as Garcia posted a modest 71 to stand three-under for the tournament.
Woods had some adventures on the back nine, escaping potential danger at the par-five 13th after pulling his tee shot way left.
The former world number one cursed his poor tee shot, which was picked up on the telecast, but the ball bounced out to the middle of the fairway and Woods went on for birdie.
Woods refused to give up hope of making a run for a fifth green jacket.
"You just never know. That's the thing about this golf course," he said.
"We don't know what the committee is going to do -- if they're going to give us some accessible, easy eagle pins or tuck them and make this golf course difficult."
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