Tiger Woods roared back onto the scene with a bogey-free 65 on Friday at the Hero World Challenge, rising to tied-ninth on six under par.
The 14-time major winner showed his class by going bogey free, and with birdies at all of the par fives. He was six shots behind midway leaders Dustin Johnson, who posted 66 twice, and Hideki Matsuyama, who had equally impressive with rounds of 65, 67.
The fist pump isn’t rusty. pic.twitter.com/6boXOS5Ihz
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 2, 2016
Woods electrified the competition with an outward nine of three under par on Thursday, but slumped over the closing holes and made double bogeys at the 16th and 18th.
He plotted the course better on Friday and rose eight places up the leaderboard, which carries 16 of the world’s top 25 players.
‘I hadn’t felt the competitive flow and feel in a long time. It has been almost a year and a half,’ said Woods. ‘And today I had it early. The first tee shot I felt very comfortable.’
US Open winner Johnson has been overpowering the course, shrugging off three dropped shots while making 11 birdies and two eagles over the last two days.
Japan’s Matusyama, currently sixth in the world, made a double bogey at the par-three eighth on Friday, but recovered by playing the back nine in 30.
Louis Oosthuizen, playing his first Hero World Challenge, shot a flawless 67 and was tied third ahead of the third round. Saturday awaits in Albany!
