Tiger Woods believes he can win a 15th major despite trailing leader Jordan Spieth by nine shots after day one of the Masters at Augusta.
The 39-year-old, who last won a major in 2008 and took a break from the sport to work on his game earlier this year ended his opening round one over par.
“I’m still in it. I’m only nine back. We have a long way to go,” the four-time Masters champion was quoted by BBC Sport as saying on Friday.
“I felt good out there. I hit the ball well enough to shoot three under par.”
In a poll of 103 Tour professionals before the tournament, 68 stated Woods would not add to his haul of majors and the volatility of his bogey-birdie-par-bogey start through four holes offered little confidence.
But despite one three-putt, he scrambled well around the greens to offer at least some response to scrutiny of his chipping prior to his 64-day break from competitive play.
“It’s my strength again,” said Woods, who won the last of his Masters titles in 2005. “That’s why I’ve busted my butt. That’s why I took time off. That’s why I hit thousands and thousands of shots to make sure that it’s back to being my strength.”
The winner of the tournament in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005 drove the ball 261 yards on average, below the 283 averaged by other players in the opening round.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is aiming to emulate Woods – one of six men to win a career Grand Slam – by claiming a first Masters title.
The world number one said he was “satisfied” with his “solid” first round of one under par at Augusta as he ended the day seven shots adrift of leader Jordan Spieth.
“Anything under par, I felt, was a pretty good score,” said the reigning Open and US PGA champion.
“If I can hit a few iron shots closer and convert on a few of those opportunities, I’ll be right there.”
McIlroy has described Augusta National as a “second shot golf course” and though the Northern Irishman hit 13 of 14 accessible fairways in his opening round, he could not capitalise and made just three birdies.
“I just kept telling myself to be patient. It was a tricky day,” added McIlroy. “The wind was swirling a little bit. Pin positions were tough.”
Having won the US Open, Open and two US PGA titles, McIlroy
The 39-year-old, who last won a major in 2008 and took a break from the sport to work on his game earlier this year ended his opening round one over par.
“I’m still in it. I’m only nine back. We have a long way to go,” the four-time Masters champion was quoted by BBC Sport as saying on Friday.
“I felt good out there. I hit the ball well enough to shoot three under par.”
In a poll of 103 Tour professionals before the tournament, 68 stated Woods would not add to his haul of majors and the volatility of his bogey-birdie-par-bogey start through four holes offered little confidence.
But despite one three-putt, he scrambled well around the greens to offer at least some response to scrutiny of his chipping prior to his 64-day break from competitive play.
“It’s my strength again,” said Woods, who won the last of his Masters titles in 2005. “That’s why I’ve busted my butt. That’s why I took time off. That’s why I hit thousands and thousands of shots to make sure that it’s back to being my strength.”
The winner of the tournament in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005 drove the ball 261 yards on average, below the 283 averaged by other players in the opening round.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is aiming to emulate Woods – one of six men to win a career Grand Slam – by claiming a first Masters title.
The world number one said he was “satisfied” with his “solid” first round of one under par at Augusta as he ended the day seven shots adrift of leader Jordan Spieth.
“Anything under par, I felt, was a pretty good score,” said the reigning Open and US PGA champion.
“If I can hit a few iron shots closer and convert on a few of those opportunities, I’ll be right there.”
McIlroy has described Augusta National as a “second shot golf course” and though the Northern Irishman hit 13 of 14 accessible fairways in his opening round, he could not capitalise and made just three birdies.
“I just kept telling myself to be patient. It was a tricky day,” added McIlroy. “The wind was swirling a little bit. Pin positions were tough.”
Having won the US Open, Open and two US PGA titles, McIlroy
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