Tiger Woods fired a four-under-par 68 to remain in contention in his comeback event at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on Friday.
The 41-year-old superstar, playing his first tournament in nearly 10 months, vaulted up the leaderboard at the Albany Golf Club with a blistering front nine.
The 14-time major champion was five-under for the day after posting three birdies and an eagle, before the turn to go eight-under for the tournament.
However, Woods’ momentum faltered on the back nine, where two bogeys saw him drop back to finish the day at seven-under.
Woods has plenty of ground to make up over the weekend, however, with leader Charley Hoffman producing a stunning nine-under-par 63 to move to 12-under.
Woods, who is returning at the 18-man tournament after a lengthy layoff caused by a back injury, said he had struggled with the speed of the greens throughout.
“I had a difficult time all day with the speed on the greens. They seemed to be a foot faster,” Woods told The Golf Channel, adding that he was satisfied with his fitness following back surgery in April.
“I proved that the surgery was successful and that the rehab was fantastic. I got a chance to go out there and play competitive golf again,” Woods said.
“I’m just getting back. I’ve still got a long way to go,” added Woods, who also missed the entire 2015-2016 season.
ICYMI: @TigerWoods eagled No. 9 to take the lead at the Hero World Challenge.
And it was a thing of beauty. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/CPvIk46tTu
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2017
After a solid first-round 69 on Thursday, Woods got off to a flying start on Friday, reeling off three birdies in the opening four holes.
His first birdie came on the first, when a 96-yard approach shot landed five feet from the hole for a simple birdie putt.
On the par-five third, his eagle putt from just off the green went just wide, but left him with an easy birdie.
A further birdie came on the fourth, after another superb approach shot.
It got better on the par-five ninth when he made the green in two before rolling in a 15-foot eagle putt to put him into the lead at eight under.
A further birdie on the 11th put Woods at six-under for the day and nine-under overall, but a bogey on 12 checked his progress.
Five more pars followed, but on the 18th, Woods’ tee-shot found the sand bordering the fairway, forcing him to hack out and leaving him with a difficult up-and-down to save par, which he duly failed.