In a shocking turn of events that some did not previously see coming, Tiger Woods decided to tee it up at the 2022 Masters in an attempt to win his 16th major championship, sixth green jacket and 83rd PGA Tour event — just 14 months after nearly losing his right leg in a car accident. If his effort in Round 1 at Augusta National is any indication, Woods made the right decision. On Friday, he begins Round 2 looking at a leaderboard whose main place holders have failed to separate themselves from the rest of the top 10.
While Tiger was not among the leaders after the morning session on Thursday, he emerged from the day T10 on the leaderboard after shooting a 1-under 71. Woods made par across his first five holes before scoring birdie on the sixth. He alternated between even and 1 under for the duration of the round with another set of five consecutive pars before a birdie on the 13th.
While crucial par saves defined his round, a thoroughly rousing birdie on the 16th was the highlight of the afternoon. Woods knocked his tee shot to 29 yards from the hole, lined up his putt and drained a beautiful effort punctuated by his signature fist pump to excite the crowd and return him to under par for the round. He scored par on the final two holes — with another save on the 18th — to complete a vintage round that keeps him in contention despite his inability to separate from the pack.
For a guy who has won five green jackets over the course of his historic career and never missed a cut as a professional at the Masters, his swing and game continued to look sharp as they did throughout multiple practice rounds over the last week. Woods is at Augusta National to compete and win. He is not in the field simply to play the course at which he is the most famous. Tiger winning this Masters would be a remarkable feat given how difficult it is to win this tournament when completely healthy and not 14 months removed from nearly losing a limb in an automobile accident. Woods kept himself in contention to do just that with his effort Thursday, and his task continues Friday when he steps on the course as the third-to-last group at 1:41 p.m. ET
CBS Sports will be covering Woods live throughout the Masters with constant coverage in this space. Keep on reading for stories and schedule information along with consistent updates throughout his time at Augusta National this week, and do not miss our live Masters leaderboard coverage throughout Round 2 on Friday.
Tiger Woods coverage
- Kyle Porter: Tiger Woods’ unforgettable 71 more remarkable than it seems
- Woods opens up: Tiger holds court to discuss health, future, contention
- Tiger, activated: Woods decides to play Masters
Tiger Woods tee times, schedule
- Round 2: Tiger among final groups to play entering Moving Day (1:41 p.m.)
- Round 1: Woods’ 71 leads top takeaways from exciting first 18 holes
Watch the 2022 Masters streaming now with Masters Live as we follow the best golfers in the world throughout Augusta National with Featured Groups, check in at the famed Amen Corner and see leaders round the turn on Holes 15 & 16. Watch live for free on desktop and mobile via CBSSports.com and CBS Sports App. Also available on Paramount+.
Tiger Woods score, live updates
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Tiger finding bunkers early
Two times in an as many holes to open Round 2, Tiger has found the bunker. Bit him on No. 1, as he soared the green and bungled his scramble for a bogey. We’ll see if he can get out of this jam on No. 2, but he made a long hole even longer by forfeiting that run-out. Not a pretty start so far. Currently sits at even for the tournament and four back of the lead.
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Tiger’s tee time fast approaching
Tiger Woods is scheduled to tee off in just under a half-hour at 1:41 p.m. ET.
Woods will be in a two-some with Joaquin Niemann after the third man of their group, Louis Oosthuizen, withdrew Friday morning due to an injury.
Could be a real test for Woods, who remember: is still rehabbing from a significant car crash in early 2021. He had a noticeable hitch in his gait Thursday that worsened throughout the day. If he’s going to be doing more standing around and waiting than normal, can he stay loose?
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Tiger Woods’ group down to a pair
Citing an injury, Louis Oosthuizen has withdrawn from the Masters ahead of the second round, dropping the field to 89 participants. Oosthuizen finished with a 4-over 76 in Round 1 with two double bogeys. He went 3 over across his second nine and appeared headed for a potential missed cut. His departure leaves turns the Woods grouping into a pairing. Tiger will now begin second-round play alongside only Joaquin Niemann at 1:41 p.m. ET. Niemann ended Thursday at 3 under, two shots back of leader Sungjae Im. Woods, who finished 1 under, remains T10 over four hours until Round 2 play with no one posting significant scores as of yet.
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Tiger Woods set for Round 2 after strong opening round
After a 1-under 71 on Thursday, Tiger Woods is set to go off as one of the last groups Friday with a 1:41 p.m. tee time. Woods’ 71 was among the most impressive in Masters history, Kyle Porter wrote on Thursday, given all he’s had to overcome just to be in the field this week. We’ll see if he can keep that pace up. Making the weekend cut would be a huge accomplishment.
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Tiger Woods’ updated Masters odds
Tiger was 50-1 (!) to win this week at Augusta entering Thursday. That number is down to 35-1 as of Friday morning, according to Caesars Sportsbook.
Other odds and ends analysis from DataGolf.com of note: 86% chance to make the cut; 28.2% chance to top-20; 5.4% chance to top-five; 0.6% chance to win. As of now, after a sluggish start from Sungjae Im, he’ll open Round 2 just three strokes back.
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Tiger Woods’ outlook: Round 2
After shooting a remarkable 71 in his first round of professional golf in 17 months, Woods will look to make his 22nd consecutive cut at the Masters as a pro. He’s in great position to do so, opening the day at T10, just four shots back of leader Sungjae Im and approximately four up of the projected cut line. Tiger winning this year’s tournament is unlikely. However, as we have seen with Woods at Augusta National, you can never quite count him out.
Woods, Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann will be the third-to-last group to hit the course on Friday with a 1:41 p.m. ET tee time. Tiger will be among the golfers on the Featured Groups stream available as part of Masters Live coverage on CBSSports.com, so you will be able to watch every one of his shots live.
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Tiger Woods on ESPN about what the next 16-18 hours will look for him before teeing off for Round 2: “Lots of ice.” 😂
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Tiger Woods on ESPN: “I came up here as a test run to see if I could. I felt good. The whole idea was to keep pushing, but keep recovering. I’ve been doing that. My team’s been incredible getting me ready. I figured once the adrenaline kicks in, we get fired up and I get into my world, I should be able to handle business.”
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Tiger Woods on ESPN after his round: “I did not have a very good warmup at all. I hit it awful.”
“As the round built, I was able to get into the red, got out there, made two stupid mistakes, lost some concentration a little, fought back, got back into the red and right where I need to be.”
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Tiger Woods goes under par in Round 1
With a swarm of patrons around him on hole No. 1, Tiger Woods opened his first round of the Masters — and first round of professional golf since November 2020 — with a push to the right of the fairway and into potential danger. But then, in vintage Tiger-like fashion, he put together a nice approach and ultimately a stellar save, going up and down for par as part of an opening-round 71 (1 under) to kick off his week.
Woods’ save was the theme of his first round with critical par saves sprinkled about his round. After opening with five consecutive pars, it seemed his goal was to stray as far away from being too aggressive as possible. Instead, leaning into his decades of experience, he picked his spots and attacked only when necessary while feeling out the course. And on the same right leg that suffered trauma in a car crash in February 2021, he strutted around Augusta National with a calm like a five-time Masters champion, masterfully navigating in and around tough conditions on a track that had plenty of bite to it.
Woods birdied the par-3 sixth hole after a par-fest to start that moved him to T2 on the leaderboard and one stroke off the early lead. He then turned around and bogeyed the par-5 eighth before making the turn at even-par.
On the second nine, he got one back only to give one back with a birdie at 13 and a bogey at 14. The magic wasn’t done for the day, though, as he again carded a birdie on a par 3 — this time at 16 with a putt from 29 feet — and finally unleashed that signature fist pump.
In fitting fashion, after a huge par save on No. 1 to start the day with a 10-foot putt, he finished the day again with a par save via a 10-foot putt. The save kept him under-par heading into the second round on Friday. At the time he finished his round, he was three strokes off the pace of leader Cameron Smith, who turned in a 4-under 68.
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Tiger birdies on tough par-3 16th
First fist pump of the day is unleashed by Tiger Woods at the par-3 16th hole after unleashing a doozy of a long birdie putt to move to 1 under on the day. That’s his second birdie on the second nine and third on the round. Still five back of leader Cameron Smith, but he’s hanging tough … and that putter today has been money.
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Moving back into the red
Tiger Woods misses a long, makeable eagle putt on the par-5 13th, but taps in for an easy birdie to move to 1 under on the second nine and back to 1 under on the round. Puts him T10 on the leaderboard and two off the lead. Rolling it really well on the greens today, catching great contact and masterfully scrambling all over the course. Hasn’t been too aggressive, but has picked his spots well today thus far on a course that is playing hard and long.
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Tiger maintaining on second nine
It’s clear Thursday, with tough conditions, that going low and climbing up the leaderboard is a tough challenge for anyone. So what Tiger’s done thus far today is pretty impressive on the whole. He made the turn at even-par and has gone par-par-par to open up his second nine, with a birdie opportunity on deck at the par-5 13th.
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Tiger Woods opens second nine with par
After a crucial par save on the par-4 ninth, Tiger Woods continues his methodical round with yet another par save at the 10th to remain even-par on the round. Had a perfect drive this time but missed short on his approach — which he’s done most of the day — before salvaging a 4.
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HUGE par save on No. 9
Tiger Woods sits EVEN through the first nine after a massive par save at the par-4 ninth. Woods found himself in trouble off the tee but hit a really nice scramble to avoid bogeys on consecutive holes. He heads to the second nine T14 with one birdie (No. 6) and one bogey (No. 8) on the afternoon. For the first nine holes of someone who hasn’t played in an official event since November 2020, it’s tough to ask for a better start.
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Tiger birdies at par-3 sixth
Absurdly brilliant attack for Tiger at the par-3 sixth hole. Easy tap-in for birdie to move into the red. He looks really sharp early today. Hasn’t been aggressive, picking his spots, shot looking crisp.
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Tiger Woods’ hot start continues
After a safe par-par-par-par-par start to Round 1 at the Masters, Tiger Woods is in the red at Augusta National with a birdie on the par-3 sixth. Had a brilliant shot into the green that nearly dropped and rewarded himself with a tap-in birdie. Puts him T3 on the leaderboard right now, one stroke off leaders Talor Gooch and Harry Higgs.
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Solid start for Tiger Woods, E through 3
After a par-par start, Tiger keeps thing rolling on the par-4 third with another worry-free par by sinking a four-footer. He went iron off the tee, came up just shy on his but was able to two-putt — once from off the green and once on it — to stay at E.
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Tiger Woods makes par to open 2022 Masters
Ugly shot off the first tee for Tiger Woods — he absolutely loathed it — but an impressive start to his week at Augusta National after saving par. Nice little up and down after missing the green on his approach but getting a nice little chip to within a few foot for a makeable par. Patrons already letting their roars out early.
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Watch Tiger Woods live in Round 1
Follow every shot Tiger Woods takes in his return to professional golf for the first time in 14 months by watching Featured Groups coverage of the Masters here on CBS Sports. Watch live on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports App and Paramount+.
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Tiger Woods prepares for 11:04 a.m. tee time
The morning wave of tee times is set to be injected with some major star power as Tiger Woods prepares for his 11:04 a.m. ET tee time. It’s the first competition for Woods in over a year after a significant car crash in 2021 that caused trauma injuries to his right leg.
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Tiger Woods playing through pain this week
Woods played a practice round earlier this week to test out his body, which has endured back troubles and most recently severe trauma to his right leg after a car crash last year, and did not have any significant enough troubles to warrant pulling out of this year’s competition. He’s set to go today at 11:04 a.m. ET. However, it likely won’t be without some pain as he looks to claim a sixth Masters win.
“There is [pain]. There is each and every day,” Woods said on Tuesday. “Obviously given what I’ve gone through with my back and obviously with my right leg. Yeah, there is each and every day.”
We have seen Woods over the years grind out rounds while battling through pain — leg pain, back pain, you name it — but even he admitted this week that this pain? This pain is different.
“It’s been one of those things where I’ve had to endure pain before. This is different obviously,” he said. “This is a lot more traumatic, what has transpired to my leg. We’ve had to put a lot of work in.”
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Tiger Woods’ updated odds
With Woods set to play a professional golf tournament for the first time in 14 months, his odds have improved from 50-1 to 40-1, according to Caesars Sportsbook, as his 11:04 a.m. ET tee time approaches. While Tiger is unlikely to win this Masters, he has made it clear that he would not participate if he did not believe he could be competitive and effort towards his sixth career green jacket.
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Tiger Woods’ Round 1 delayed
Thunderstorms in Augusta early Thursday morning have led to a 30-minute delay of Round 1. Gates opened for patrons at 7:30 a.m. ET, while the Honorary Starters Ceremony was pushed to 8:15 a.m. The first tee times will commence at 8:30 a.m. with Woods set to begin his tournament now at 11:04 a.m. alongside Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann. Nevertheless, four days of pristine golf at the nation’s most majestic course are just moments away. Stay tuned as CBS Sports will be with you all week long at Augusta.
