NASSAU, Bahamas -- After a 15-month layoff that included two back surgeries and numerous people expressing doubts about his future -- him included -- Tiger Woods returned to competitive golf Thursday with a flurry of front-nine birdies and a back-nine dose of reality.
It was a mostly positive first round at the Hero World Challenge, where Woods exhibited a golf swing that was under control, a putting touch that helped save a few shots and a short game that should help put aside some of the conjecture associated with previous chipping problems.