Louis Oosthuizen cruised into a share of fourth place at the Hero World Challenge with a round of 67 on Thursday, but all eyes were on Tiger Woods, who carded 73.
The 14-time Major champion played electrifying golf on the front nine and turned at three under par, but the rust showed on the second loop.
Woods made two double bogeys in the final three holes to sign for 73, his back nine offsetting some impressive shots earlier in the round.
‘I hit the ball in three bushes and a water ball today. It could have been something really good. I got off to a nice solid start and made a few mistakes there,’ he said. ‘I didn’t play the par fives very well in the middle part of the round and consequently got it going the wrong way.’
Oosthuizen flew through the front side in 31, including five birdies to turn at five under par. He bogeyed the 12th, but got to seven under par for the round with three consecutive birdies from the 14th to the 16th. An untimely double bogey at the par-three 17th forced him down the leaderboard, but he remained within three shots of leader JB Holmes.
Meanwhile Holmes was galvanised by a bogey at the first hole and made seven birdies, no further drops, and eagled the 11th for a round of 64 and the lead.
At eight under par he was one stroke clear of Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and two ahead of American Dustin Johnson.
Oosthuizen is the lone South African in the field this week, but all the attention will be on Woods, whose second round could be anything from spectacular to disappointing.
