LOS ANGELES – Tiger Woods said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, when he posted a two-under 69 in his first non-Major PGA Tour event since October 2020.

The 47-year-old has competed on a limited basis since a 2021 car crash almost cost him a leg, featuring in the field only for the Masters, PGA Championship and the Open in 2022.

He competed in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in December despite developing plantar fasciitis earlier in the month.

“Misses, angles, wind – these are all things that have come second nature to a lot of these guys – but I haven’t really done this in a while,” said the 15-time Major winner, who had five birdies.

Woods, who made his PGA Tour debut at the Riviera Country Club some three decades ago, closed out his round with three straight birdies.

That delighted the packed galleries, with fans clutching mobile phones straining to catch a snapshot of Woods.

He was greeted by cheers and chants of “Tiger! Tiger!” from the first tee, with supporters crowding for a glimpse – as they would all around the classic course in Pacific Palisades west of Los Angeles.

“I didn’t really look up as much. I probably should have,” Woods told reporters later.

“I was trying to calm myself down all day.

“Trying to figure out what the hell I’m doing out here because I haven’t played, just the feeling of the butterflies and trying to calm all that stuff down.”

The American, playing alongside Rory McIlroy (67) and Justin Thomas (68), chipped into a bunker on the 10th, leading to one of three bogeys on the day.

But he whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he drained a 23-foot putt on the 17th and finished five shots shy of clubhouse leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell (both 64).

“I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did. But there was so much going on in my head trying to get the ball in the correct spots just because I haven’t done this in a while,” added Woods, who did tip his cap to the crowd nonetheless.

Thursday was a good first step, but his ability to recover from a round and walk 72 holes remains a mystery, even to him.

“There’s a lot of ice going on here,” he said of his planned post-round treatment.

“As soon as I get back to the hotel, it’s just icing and treatment and icing and treatment, just hit repeat throughout the whole night.

“Unfortunately, that’s my issue... that this leg will never be what it once was, so we have to adapt to it.”

The tournament was suspended due to darkness.

Homa had eight birdies in his 64, including three in a row at his last three holes, the seventh, eighth and ninth.

The American won at Riviera in 2021. He has taken his tally of tour titles to six this season with a victory at the Fortinet Championship in September and at Torrey Pines in January.

“It just felt like every aspect of my game felt good, good enough to shoot under par,” he said.

“You never know when you’re going to shoot seven under or something, but I felt like I took advantage of how I felt, which is something I think that’s important out here.”

Mitchell also had eight birdies and a bogey, closing with back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th for his share of the lead.

They were one stroke in front of world No. 3 Jon Rahm, who had eight birdies and two bogeys in his 65. REUTERS, AFP