Tiger Woods begins Masters title defense with bogey-free 68 on Thursday

Tiger Woods began his title defense at the Masters with a 4-under 68 on Thursday after a weather delay at Augusta National Golf Club.

From being held in November without patrons to players going off Nos. 1 and 10 tees, this year’s Masters is unique in many ways.

One way it’s not very different? Tiger Woods is contending.

The five-time winner at Augusta National Golf Club started his title defense with a 4-under 68 on Thursday after a nearly three hour weather delay suspended play within 30 minutes of the opening tee shots. Woods walked off the course T-4, three shots behind Paul Casey, who leads after a blistering 7-under 65.

The 44-year-old looked calm and comfortable in his return to Augusta, finding 10-of-14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation. The 15-time major champion even made a little history this year, playing his opening round bogey-free for the first time in his Masters career.

Woods played alongside 2019’s Champion Golfer of the Year Shane Lowry and last year’s U.S. Amateur champion Andy Ogletree, and will do so again on Friday beginning at noon ET.

[vertical-gallery id=778074351]