FAR HILLS, N.J. USA and ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – A working group led by the USGA and The R&A has unanimously agreed to adopt a new set of protocols for video review when applying the Rules of Golf.

The group, consisting of the PGA TOUR, LPGA, PGA European Tour, Ladies European Tour and The PGA of America, as well as the governing bodies, will implement the following measures from January 1, 2018:

• Assign one or more officials to monitor the video broadcast of a competition to help identify and resolve Rules issues as they arise
• Discontinue any steps to facilitate or consider viewer call-ins as part of the Rules decision process

In addition, the USGA and The R&A have approved the adoption of a Local Rule, available from January 1, to eliminate the additional two-stroke penalty for failing to include a penalty on the score card when the player was unaware of the penalty. All of the organizations represented on the working group will introduce the Local Rule for 2018, and this score card penalty will be permanently removed when the modernized Rules of Golf take effect on January 1, 2019.

As golf’s governing body in Canada, Golf Canada will implement this new Rule in at all amateur competitions in 2018.

The USGA and The R&A established the video review working group in April to initiate a collaborative discussion on the role video footage can play when applying the Rules, including the challenges and benefits of its use and also the issues that arise from viewer call-ins.

“The level of collaboration with our partners has been both vital and gratifying as we look to the future,” said Thomas Pagel, USGA senior director of the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “As technology has continued to evolve, it has allowed us to evolve how we operate, as well.” [To watch an interview on usga.org with Pagel on Video Review, plus a copy of the protocols and full Local Rule, click here]

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “This has clearly become an important issue in the sport that we felt we should address at this stage ahead of the implementation of the updated Rules of Golf in 2019.

No more call-ins ✅
Local Rule eliminates scorecard penalty ✅
Big changes are coming to video review for televised golf events in 2018.https://t.co/RWaKDgdFpw pic.twitter.com/xfXb9D3M66

— USGA (@USGA) December 11, 2017

“We have concluded that whilst players should continue to be penalized for all breaches of the Rules during a competition, including any that come to light after the score card is returned, an additional penalty for the score card error is not required.”

The new protocols also recognize the importance of limiting video review to material obtained from the committee’s broadcast partner. Other video, such as from an individual’s smartphone or camera, will not be used under these protocols.

The new protocols and Local Rule are the latest measures announced by the USGA and The R&A to address concerns related to video evidence. In April, Decision 34-3/10 was issued to limit the use of video through the introduction of a “reasonable judgement” standard and a “naked eye” standard.

For more information, see usga.org or randa.org.

CHANDLER, Ariz. – Four Canadians finished inside the top 45 in the final stage of Qualifying School at the Whirlwind Golf Club on Sunday to earn guaranteed Web.com Tour starts next season.

Leading the Canadian contingent was Calgary’s Ryan Yip, who played his way into a six-way tie for 10th at 18 under (73-65-67-65), earning guaranteed starts for the first 12 events.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Albin Choi (Toronto) and graduate Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver) closed the 72-hole stroke play event at 16 under par, tied for 23rd. Rounding out the quartet was Vancouver’s Seann Harlingten, who finished tied for 30th at 15 under par.

Choi, Macdonald and Harlingten earned exempt status for the first eight events by finishing between places 11-45 (plus ties).

Champion Lee McCoy of Dunedin, Fla., will be fully-exempt next season.

#TeamCanada alum @stuart_mac_golf with a ?? chip-in on 18… In great position to earn #WebTour status.

? from @BlairHamilton12

Full scoring: https://t.co/hUUONo6sam pic.twitter.com/Ob210iWzRo

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) December 10, 2017

Click here for full scoring.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Shaw Charity Classic, Dominion Energy Charity Classic and DICK’s Sporting Goods Open were among the award winners for the PGA TOUR Champions 2017 season. In all, six awards were presented by PGA TOUR Champions at the TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on Thursday, Dec. 7 in Boca Raton, Fla.

At the annual gathering, six specific tournament categories were recognized:

• President’s Award – Shaw Charity Classic
• Players Award – Dominion Energy Charity Classic
• Sales Award – DICK’s Sporting Goods Open
• Bruno Award – Gene Smith (PGA TOUR Champions Rules Official)
• Outstanding Achievement Award – Tiffany Nelson (Charles Schwab Cup Championship)
• Volunteer of the Year – Maggie Hatcher (Boca Raton Championship)

President’s Award
For the third time in its five-year history, the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta, was named the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award, which captures the criteria of all PGA TOUR Champions awards, as well as the intangibles that make it stand out amidst a plethora of successful tournaments.

“It is remarkable to see a tournament win the President’s Award for the third time,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Greg McLaughlin. “On behalf of PGA TOUR Champions, it is an honor for me to present the President’s Award to the Shaw Charity Classic. This event has achieved great success very quickly and continues to raise the bar every year. Shaw Communications has been a tremendous partner in allowing this event to support the local Calgary community, and the charitable impact throughout Alberta has been extraordinary.”

The 2017 edition of the Shaw Charity Classic carried on the tournament’s tradition of extraordinary charitable giving. The tournament exceeded its fundraising goal by nearly 30 percent, raising more than $8.3 million for children’s charities across Alberta. In all, the tournament secured donations from more than 2,400 donors that ultimately impacted the lives of more than 480,000 children, and in five years, the tournament has raised more than $22 million and donated to more than 150 charities.

Once again, the community came out in droves, as more than 1,200 people volunteered, and the weekly attendance exceeded 45,000 fans. During the tournament, fans were treated to several off-course activities in the Fan Zone, which included a petting zoo, crafting stations, golf simulators, and an interactive Shaw experience where fans had the opportunity to interface with newest home entertainment and communications technology.

“We began our five-year celebrations by encouraging the public to find a small way to make their mark on this powerful event in Alberta. Receiving the President’s Award for a third time is recognition that needs to be celebrated by communities across Alberta who have generously supported our mission,” said Sean Van Kesteren, Executive Director of the Shaw Charity Classic. “We have not wavered in our goals of bringing world-class golf to Calgary, while raising more than $20 million in an effort to provide hundreds of thousands of Alberta kids hope and the opportunity to live a better life.”

Alberta Golf is pleased to announce an expanded high performance athlete development offering in 2018. In all, five tiers of programs will provide a circle of support for golf athletes in the province.

“Supporting athletes who intend on competing at the highest levels in their chosen sport begins with the establishment and management of an organization-wide commitment to high performance,” said Phil Berube, Alberta Golf’s CEO. “These athletes, from the introduction to competition to the compete to win stages of Long-Term Player Development, are a product of a circle of support that includes personal instructors, coaches, parents and club programs and will proudly represent Alberta as they compete on the provincial and national stages.”

Alberta Golf invests $280,000 annually in sport development programs and services. The goal is to support 100% of athletes who make an application to enter the program at any tier, with the superior level of coaching they desire and the resources to assist them succeed in their journey.

2018 PLAYER, COACH AND CLUB SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Alberta Golf provides investment to players, clubs and coaches in support of our athlete development programs. Our objective is to ensure that all athletes who have been identified on world golf rankings have access to High Performance Coaching. Alberta Golf monitors ranking systems from around the globe as well as our National Golf Canada Rankings and invites players to apply to our tiered support programs.

PLAYER SUPPORT

If you are interested in pursuing a pathway to becoming an elite golfer, speak with your local golf professional about Alberta Golf’s Player Support Program. Our staff work with athletes by providing funding and resources to assist individuals in reaching their performance objectives. This includes: skills assessment, performance planning, sports psychology, nutrition, strength & conditioning, travel, equipment, grants and scholarships.

CLUB SUPPORT

If your club is interested in Alberta Golf’s High Performance strategy, please contact us to learn how we can work together to grow your facility’s development programs. Our Get-Linked granting program provides facilities with co-operative funding to complement existing golf programs and our Future Links, driven by Acura resource library outlines a pathway to help golf facilities initiate and promote a successful program.

COACH SUPPORT

If you are interested in pursuing a career in coaching and developing local athletes in your region, contact us to find out more about Alberta Golf’s High Performance strategy. Our staff work with coaches by providing funding and resources to assist individuals in reaching their career objectives. This includes: coaching requirements, training, career planning, team support, travel, equipment, contract fees.

Alberta Golf will be inviting identified athletes and interested clubs and coaches to apply to the High Performance Athlete Development programs throughout the remainder of 2017. For more information please follow the links below:

2018 High Performance Athlete Development Program Outline
2018 Application Form

2018 PLAYER SUPPORT TIERS

TIER 1: NextGen Local Program

• The NextGen program is a local club level program designed by Alberta Golf to initiate a relationship between athletes showing interest in developing their skills and the local golf professional. Resources are made available by Alberta Golf to assist the local golf professional in showcasing golfers at their facility and provide athletes with a roadmap to success. This includes available competitions, clinics, training programs and shadowing opportunities.

• Athletes registered for the NextGen local program are invited (along with their parents) to two optional team competitions throughout the year (spring and fall) which are followed by an information session about Alberta Golf’s High Performance Athlete Development Program.

TIER 2: Regional Player Development Program

• The Regional Development program introduces coaching on a regional basis to individuals registered for selected camps which are offered four times throughout the season.

• Players in the Regional Development program are invited to participate in provincial team challenges and competitions organized by regional coaches.

• All players who have qualified for an interprovincial team at any time in their playing career are invited to participate in the Regional Player Development program.

• This program is ideal for individuals looking for additional coaching without the time commitment of Team Alberta, or those who are over the age of 19.

TIER 3: Team Alberta Provincial Program

• The Team Alberta Provincial program is the marquee component of Alberta Golf’s Player Support Program. 2018 marks the program’s tenth year with a proven track record of success enjoyed by athletes currently on the post-secondary circuit.

• Alberta Golf’s stable of world class coaches meet with all qualifying athletes on a regular basis to provide performance plans and review feedback during camps, competitions and at practice sessions on a year-round basis.

TIER 4: Alberta High Performance Squad Program

• The High Performance Squad program aims to support athletes who have met or surpassed the Tier 3 requirements but are ineligible for the support category based on age restrictions.

• Access to coaching, equipment, apparel and grants is made available to athletes who are invited to participate in this program.

TIER 5: Alumni Program

• The High Performance Alumni program aims to support athletes who have qualified for an interprovincial team during their playing career with Alberta Golf and/or have been in the top 50 on Golf Canada’s Order of Merit.

• High Performance Alumni Athletes will be invited to events throughout the season, as well as training camps at various locations in the province.

• Access to coaching, equipment, apparel and grants is made available to athletes who are invited to participate in this program.

Brooke Henderson’s victory at the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open came with more than a cash prize and a trophy.

Henderson was given a traditional Maori cloak after winning her first tournament outside North America, and the young Canadian golfer counts that honour as a major highlight of her successful second season on the LPGA Tour.

“That cloak represents that I’m part of that family and it’s hard to think about,” Henderson said from her home in Naples, Fla. “I’m really proud to own it and be considered part of their family.”

The September victory at the inaugural New Zealand Women’s Open was her second of the season – her first win came at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June – and was a big part of her favourite two weeks of the year. She said she enjoyed New Zealand more than any other of the 11 countries she played in in 2017 and made time for a week’s holiday with her sister (and caddie) Brittany.

Although she admitted she was slow out of the gate this year on the course, Henderson still notched top-15 finishes in 16 of the 30 events she played. She earned more than US$1.5 million and finished sixth on the money list.

She also finished top-10 in two key statistics this year, greens in regulation and scoring average.

“I know my long game has always been my strength, but to see those numbers on weeks when I played well – and some weeks that I didn’t – and to be that consistent? I’m really happy with that,” she said. “Moving into 2018 I definitely want to keep that up, work on my ball-striking this off-season but hopefully improve my short game (and) putting stats. If I can make that happen, hopefully I’ll see even better results.”

The 20-year-old called her season a success, even though she said it was more difficult to win this year versus 2016.

“For a while we had 16 different winners on Tour and no one was really taking charge of it. I feel like the talent and the level of play was a lot stronger than it has been,” she said. “To get two wins when it was like that? it definitely gives me a lot of confidence.”

Henderson also counts this year’s CP Women’s Open in Ottawa as a big highlight.

Although she struggled for the first two rounds – needing a birdie to drop on her final hole Friday just to make the 36-hole cut – she shot the course record at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club during Saturday’s third round, an eight-under 63, to launch into contention. She eventually finished tied for 12th.

Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club gave Henderson an honorary membership last year, and Henderson’s hometown of Smiths Falls, Ont. is less than an hour away from the club.

“I was grateful to make the weekend because I wanted to put on a good show,” she said. “All these people were there to watch me. I loved their support and I really wanted to show them what I could do.

“To have the course record at my home course against some of the best players in the world? that’s awesome. It’s history.”

Henderson said her goal for next year is to move into the top 10 in the world rankings once again after peaking at No. 2 last year. She currently sits at No. 13.

“I almost want to say I know I’m a top-10 player, so it bothers me a little bit that I’m just outside,” said Henderson. “I know that will change quickly. If I get a win early in 2018 and improve on those little things that I want to in the off-season I feel I could get down into a good spot.”

Henderson now has five wins on the LPGA Tour, second to only Sandra Post (eight) among Canadians, a record that could fall next year.

For now, she will appear on some of the Golf Channel’s programming this week before returning to Smiths Falls for the holidays, where that cloak she won in New Zealand might come in handy.

“I might wear it as my winter coat when I go home,” she said.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods each had cause for celebrations large and small Sunday in the Hero World Challenge.

Fowler rallied from a seven-shot deficit by starting his final round with seven straight birdies at Albany Golf Club and closing with an 11-under 61 for a four-shot victory over Charley Hoffman. It was the second victory of the year for Fowler, and the second time he has ended a year with multiple victories worldwide.

“Finally just kind of got everything to piece together,” said Fowler, who moves to No. 7 in the world.

In a week that began with so much curiosity over how Woods would perform, he had his best result in four years. More than his score, he looked just as strong at end, including a vicious recoil on a 2-iron he hit from 265 yards on the third hole that ran through the green.

Playing for the first time in 10 months while recovering from fusion surgery on his lower back – his fourth back surgery in three years – Woods shot another 31 on the front nine, closed with back-to-back bogeys and shot a 68.

He tied for ninth in the 18-man field, his best result since a playoff loss at this holiday event in 2013 at Sherwood Country Club in California.

“I’m excited,” Woods said. “This is the way I’ve been playing at home.”

WHAT. A. DAY.@RickieFowler beats the world’s best to win the Hero World Challenge. pic.twitter.com/iemJ7vIEIc

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 3, 2017

He still finished 10 shots behind Fowler. Then again, Fowler didn’t give anyone much of a chance.

Fowler, whose lone PGA Tour victory this year was in the Honda Classic, was close to flawless on the front nine. He holed birdie putts of about 12 feet on the first two holes, hit a gap wedge to 3 feet on the par-5 third, made his toughest putt into the green from 15 feet on No. 4, and then holed a bunker shot on No. 5. He followed that with another wedge that spun back to a foot on the par-5 sixth, and he hit out of a bunker to about 7 feet on the next hole.

“I knew I needed to get off to a quick start to at least show Charley I was there,” Fowler said.

By then, he was tied for the lead as Hoffman, who birdied his first hole, began to drop shots and work to make par. He never caught up and shot 72. Fowler went out in 28 and then added birdies on the 11th and 13th holes to stretch his lead.

Fowler finished at 14-under 274.

Tommy Fleetwood, the Race to Dubai winner from England who is getting married Tuesday in the Bahamas, closed with a 67 and tied for third with Jordan Spieth (69), who has not finished out of the top 10 since the PGA Championship.

A year ago, Woods returned from a 15-month hiatus from back surgeries and showed flashes of his old self, particularly when he shot 65 in the second round and ended the week with 24 birdies. Woods said nothing about his health that week, though his back couldn’t withstand the rough at Torrey Pines and the 16-hour flight to Dubai. He withdrew after one round at Dubai with back spasm and had the fusion surgery in April.

This return was different from how far he hit the ball with plenty of speed in his swing (his ball speed approached 180 mph), and he made putts from the 8- to 15-foot range than he has in recent years.

Conditions were far tamer for the final round and Woods got off to a start strong, buoyed by driving the par-4 seventh green and curling in a 25-foot eagle putt. His birdie on No. 9 gave him another 31 on the front – his second such score in two days – and never ending interest from the gallery. On Sunday, that included his two children dressed in red shirts, and tennis great Rafa Nadal.

He just couldn’t keep it going. Woods chopped up the 10th hole on his way to double bogey, and while he added three birdies with his power and putting along the back nine, he three-putted the 18th from about 15 feet for his second straight bogey.

“He’s obviously a lot more upbeat, a lot more positive, a lot healthier than he was last year at this time,” said Justin Thomas, the PGA Tour player of the year who was paired with him in the first and final rounds. “He’s got a lot of energy. It’s just so weird to say that you’re excited for somebody else’s year, but it will be a fun year. And I hope we dual it out a lot this upcoming year.”

Woods appears to be back, at least to playing.

He has not said where he will start in 2018, though he made it clear he plans on not being a stranger. The best bet is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, where he has won eight times and considers a hometown event from his roots in California.

“I don’t know what my schedule is going to be, but my expectations are we’ll be playing next year,” he said. “How many? Where? I don’t know yet, but we’ll figure it out.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two Canadians will join the world’s best next season on the LPGA Tour after earning conditional status in the final stage of Qualifying School on Sunday.

Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., posted a final-round 75 (+3) to tie for 32nd to earn her status by way of finishing between places 21-45.

Fellow Canadian Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished T32 alongside LeBlanc at 1 over par through 90 holes of stroke play at LPGA International’s Jones and Hills courses. Marchand is coming off a banner year which includes a win at Symetra Tour’s PHC Classic as well as a T30 finish at the CP Women’s Open in front of a hometown crowd at Ottawa Hunt.

Marchand and LeBlanc will join the Canadian contingent next season on Tour: Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.), Alena Sharp (Hamilton, Ont.), Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City, Que.).

The top 20 players in Sunday’s finale earned full status, while those finishing inside places 21-45 join Marchand and LeBlanc with conditional status.

Five Canadians fell short of making Saturday’s 72-hole cut: Jennifer Ha (Calgary), Elizabeth Tong (Thornhill, Ont.), Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, B.C.), Lorie Kane (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and Augusta James (Bath, Ont.).

Click here for full scoring.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Tiger Woods fell behind early and never recovered. Charley Hoffman pulled away late and made himself hard to beat.

Hoffman handled the blustery conditions Saturday in the Hero World Challenge for a 2-under 70, one of only five rounds under par, and built a five-shot lead going into the final round at Albany Golf Club.

Woods went 11 consecutive holes without hitting a green in regulation. He went 14 holes until making his first birdie. He had to settle for a 75, leaving him 10 shots out of the lead and finding consolation in the way he feels and the way he fought to keep it from getting worse.

“It’s nice to be part of the fight again,” Woods said. “Fighting against the golf course, fighting against the guys, that’s fun. I just haven’t done it a whole lot in the last few years.”

The strong wind took the air out of any hopes that Woods, playing for the first time in 10 months following a fourth back surgery, might even get into contention in his celebrated return. He opened with rounds of 69-68. Those two rounds were enough for his odds of winning the Masters to plunge to 15-1, the same as Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm. And then a warm afternoon brought a cold dash of reality.

Woods opened with four bogeys in seven holes. He played four par 5s without having a birdie putt on any of them. And when he finally made a birdie, Woods removed his cap to acknowledge the crowd and held up a finger to indicate his first birdie.

“It’s ridiculous it took me 14 holes to make a birdie,” Woods said. “At that time, I’d already played four par 5s and nothing happened. Just one of those days. Anything I did right ended up in a bad spot, and then everything I did wrong, it was really bad.”

It was tough on everyone.

No one in the 18-man field broke 70.

Hoffman had a few nervous moments but paid for it only once. He send his tee shot far right into the bushes on a sand dune right of the 10th fairway. He took a penalty drop onto a sandy path and wound up with a double bogey that brought a half-dozen players back into the mix.

But not for long.

Hoffman closed with three birdies over his last five holes, including the 18th hole for the second straight day. That put him at 14-under 202.

Justin Rose, an Albany resident, had a 71 and joined British Open champion Jordan Spieth (72) at 9-under 207.

“I got lucky on some tee balls that didn’t find the bushes and stayed in the sandy areas and I was able to sort of scrap it around,” Hoffman said. “I’m going to have to handle my nerves a little better than I did today”

Woods was under pressure early. In his previous two rounds, he was under par early in the round. This one started with a tee shot into the waste area, an approach the wind knocked down short of the green and a chip that was too strong, running 10 feet by and leading to a bogey.

Even his good shots didn’t work out for him. Woods blistered a 3-wood from 278 yards into the wind and saw it run through the green into a tough lie. His chip didn’t reach the green. His next chip ran 6 feet by the hole and he missed the par putt.

He bogeyed the next par 5 when he didn’t play for a flyer out of the rough, went well long and was left in such a tough spot that he played away from the flag and his pitch went through the green to the fringe.

He already was 5 over for his round through 10 holes, and he did well not to drop any more shots until he made a pair of birdies late.

Woods began his round by giving a hug to his 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son, who flew over from Florida. Even after a 75, he still managed to look at the big picture. He was hitting the ball well, his back felt strong and he at least feels as though he can contend.

“I think overall, I’m very happy with what’s going on this week,” Woods said. “There were a lot of questions that I had – I’m sure you guys have had – and I feel like I’ve come out on a good side.”

But he made it clear he had fewer questions about his performance than the public.

“I knew how I was playing at home,” he said. “I knew how I was hitting shots. I knew what was going on. Obviously, the very intelligent people out there didn’t know.”

This is the second straight year the 54-hole leader has built a cushion. Hideki Matsuyama led by seven shots last year and held on to beat Henrik Stenson.

It would be a great way for Hoffman to cap off a peculiar year. He hasn’t won a tournament since the Texas Open in May 2016, but he was in the mix at the Masters and the U.S. Open and played on his first Presidents Cup team.

“To have a chance to win this great tournament, hopefully I can knock it off,” Hoffman said.

NASSAU, Bahamas – One of the biggest cheers at the Hero World Challenge came from seeing the name Tiger Woods moved to the top of the leaderboard.

It just wasn’t there for long.

In another impressive showing in his latest comeback from back surgeries, Woods built on a solid start with a 31 on the front nine at Albany Golf Club that briefly gave him the lead Friday. He stalled on the back nine with a pair of bogeys and not enough birdie chances, and he settled for a 4-under 68.

“Successful,” Woods said, when asked to describe his round in one word.

When the second round ended, Woods was five shots behind Charley Hoffman, who had a 63 that might have sent fans into a frenzy if they had been watching.

Hoffman made 12 birdies, closing with five in a row . He was at 12-under 132 and had a three-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (67) and Tommy Fleetwood (69). Hoffman made only one par over his final 12 holes to go along with eight birdies and three bogeys.

But this week, a holiday exhibition with an 18-man field and no cut, is all about Woods. That much was obvious after the round.

Hoffman spoke to no more than five reporters about his round, while a dozen others were about 30 feet away surrounding Joe LaCava, Woods’ caddie, looking for any additional morsel about his round.

Woods delivered plenty on his own. He opened with three birdies in four holes. He made three good pars, one of them having to chip up the slope from a thin lie on No. 8, and then really raised hopes with his eagle on the par-5 ninth, set up by a 3-wood into the wind from 265 yards.

“Hit up in the air and took something off of it and cut it back into the wind,” he said.

He made the 20-foot putt to reach 8 under. Behind him, Hoffman made bogey on the par-3 eighth. Woods was alone in the lead, and the workers at the white scoreboard to the left of the green quickly moved his name to the top as some 100 people – that constitutes a large gallery this week – began cheering. There was a smattering of “He’s back!” and even a few mentions about the Masters.

Woods missed it. He was on his way to the 10th tee. By the time he saw a leaderboard, it was getting crowded at the top with Hoffman making his run, Spieth chipping in for birdie and setting up another with a tough chip, and Fleetwood overcoming a double bogey-bogey start to his back nine with three straight birdies.

“I saw somewhere on the back nine, I think there was like five guys at 8 under or something like that, something weird like that,” Woods said.

A case could be made that his name among them was weird.

His past is enough to merit legend status in this field. Woods has 79 victories on the PGA Tour, compared with 81 for the rest of the field. But he hasn’t won in more than four years, and this is only his 20th start since the first of four back surgeries in the spring of 2014.

He had played only seven rounds dating to August 2015, and this was his first competition in 10 months. He had fusion surgery on his lower back in April.

"Talk to me, Joey."

Not many can land it this soft with a 3-wood from 270 yards away.#ShotOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/5NrC5NbG8t

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 2, 2017

“You’ve got to be anxious – doesn’t matter who it is, doesn’t matter how well he’s been in the past at handling pressure,” Spieth said. “It’s still a new experience for him to have that little golf. And to come out and play competitive golf and work his way into contention, that’s what’s really exceptional.”

Woods didn’t make a bogey until a three-putt from 30 feet on the 12th hole. The greens were quicker, and that’s where he struggled. He had an eagle attempt from just short of the 15th green, about 45 feet away, that he ran 15 feet by the hole. He missed that for a three-putt par.

He still played the par 5s in 4 under, a five-shot improvement from the opening round.

And he showed his creative side on the par-3 17th. Facing a long putt over a hump with the grain running away from him, Woods chose to chip it off the putting surface and along the fringe to be able to better judge the speed. It settled 3 feet away for a par.

Otherwise, he looked like any of the other elite players at Albany. And while he wasn’t sure what to expect coming into the week, his expectations are getting stronger with each round, especially this one.

“I felt like today I could have easily gotten to double digits under par,” he said. “That would have put me probably one or two back, but I think I’m still in it. We’ve got two more days, and I think it’s supposed to blow a little harder to tomorrow. If that’s the case, I think a good, solid round should get me up there.”

That depends on Hoffman.

“I said at the beginning of the week, I hope he wins,” Hoffman said. “It’s great for the game of golf. Hopefully, I can stop him from winning this week. But anytime he’s in contention, or even playing the golf tournaments, it brings a buzz to golf that we all need.”

NASSAU, Bahamas – Tiger Woods looked a lot better in his return to golf than he did when he left.

Playing for the first time since his fourth back surgery, Woods returned from a 10-month layoff with a 3-under 69 on a breezy Thursday in the Bahamas that left him three shots behind Tommy Fleetwood after the opening round of the Hero World Challenge.

“For me, I thought I did great,” Woods said with a smile.

And in a sign that he was ready to get back into the mix, he was far from satisfied.

Unlike a year ago, when Woods ended a 15-month hiatus from his ailing back, he didn’t show any fatigue at the end of his round or make any big numbers. His only regret was playing the par 5s at Albany Golf Club in 1-over par with two bogeys that stalled his momentum.

Coming off a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth, Woods hit a 3-wood that rolled up on the green and then down a slope about 30 feet from the pin. It took him four shots from there, starting with a chip that didn’t reach the green and his first expletive loud enough for television to pick up.

After his best shot of the day _ a pitching wedge he hit low from 95 yards that settled a foot behind the hole for birdie on No. 14 _ he sent a drive well to the right into the native dunes. Woods had to take a penalty drop to get back in play and wound up making bogey.

But it was solid enough that Woods was far more interested in the leaderboard than the fact he felt strong physically.

“It was not only nice to get the first round out of the way, but also I’m only three shots out of the lead,” he said. “So to be able to put myself there after not playing for 10 months or so, it was nice to feel the adrenaline out there.”

He was tied for eighth in the 18-man field of this holiday exhibition that awards world ranking points but does not count as official on any tour. Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar were at 67, while Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and Kevin Chappell were at 68.

The buzz was back. Johnson noticed it when he was on the practice range and noticed a crowd around the putting green.

“Tiger must be there,” Johnson said. “Because there’s 40 people instead of four.”

Golf Channel added an hour of coverage, and Twitter came alive with people curious about the latest return. That included Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors’ two-time MVP who played a Web.com Tour event in August. “The wait is over. The wait is over,” he tweeted .

Michael Phelps said he was “pumped to be watching” Woods on TV again.

This event doesn’t draw big crowds, but most of them were with Woods to see how he would fare in this latest comeback, this one from fusion surgery on his lower back on April 20. Given it was his fourth surgery in three years, coupled with a DUI arrest in the summer that exposed the struggles Woods was having with pain medicine, a day like this seemed a long way off.

Woods said he appreciated the moment Thursday morning.

“I was in my head thanking all the people who have helped me in giving me a chance to come back and play this round again,” he said. “There were a lot of people who were instrumental in my life – friends, outside people I’ve never met before, obviously my surgeon. I was very thankful.”

And he was as competitive as always.

Woods delivered his first fist pump on par-4 fourth hole when he scooped a chip that didn’t reach the green, and then holed an 18-foot par putt.

While the field is short, the competition is strong with eight of the top in the world at Albany. Woods realizes they have spent the last couple of years playing at a high level that allows them to overcome a few mistakes.

“I don’t want to lose shots,” Woods said. “I haven’t played in a very long time and I can’t afford to go out there and make a bunch of bogeys and know that I can make nine, 10 birdies and offset them.”

Along with his five birdies – only two of them were tap-ins – Woods had an assortment of tough par saves, including a 10-footer that kept him dropping another shot on a par 5 at No. 11. He finished his round with a belly wedge from short of the 17th green because of mud on his ball, and holing a 6-foot par putt on the 18th.

A year ago, Woods made a pair of double bogeys over the last three holes for a 73 to finish nine shots behind. This time, he closed with pars and was three back.

PGA champion Justin Thomas, who also opened with a 69 in the same pairing with Woods, is among those who have played with him in recent weeks in Florida. Woods said he once played nine straight days.

“It was what I saw when we played at home,” Thomas said. “Obviously, taking this much time off from competition is hard. I felt rusty starting after a month-and-a-half, so I can’t imagine what it felt like for him. But he played well.”

Vintage Tiger. #ShotOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/IbZIJ9SaVg

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 1, 2017