Tiger back in the hunt as Masters gets underway

Tiger Woods attempted to kick-start his career at the Masters on Thursday while Rory McIlroy made a quiet start to his bid for a slice of golfing history.

The 39-year-old American superstar returned to Augusta National, the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, ending a two-month, self-imposed timeout during which he tried to put his fractured game back together again.

Woods was given a warm reception when he strode onto the first tee, having wooed the Masters fans all week with his new, friendlier, more open demeanor.

Having turned it on in practice and in the par-3 contest, he now faced the tougher task of transposing that to the rigors of competitive play on one of the toughest courses in the world.

His lifelong chase of Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record 18 major titles has resumed. He still needs four more wins just to match Nicklaus.

Woods’ dramatic return to the fray was just one storyline in one of the most hotly anticipated Masters in years.

By the time he smacked his opening drive, world number one McIlroy had already posted a solid start to his seventh, and to date most significant, Masters campaign.

At 25, McIlroy would be the second-youngest player ever to complete the full set of Grand Slam titles were he to emerge truimphant on Sunday.

Only Woods, the last of five players to have achieved that feat, in his case nearly 15 years ago, was younger at the time.

In perfect opening day playing conditions, McIlroy, like Woods, was handed a rousing reception as he stepped onto a packed first tee to take his place in a grouping that also included three-time former winner Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore.

McIlroy opened with five straight pars before taking his first bogey at the par-three sixth. But he birdied the next to reach the turn at level par.

A second dropped shot at the 11th, when he missed a 12-footer, had him shaking his head though.

Ahead of him, defending champion Bubba Watson was aiming to become just the second player, after Jack Nicklaus, to win the Masters three times in four years.

The big lefty, loved by some while despised by others, briefly was joint pace-setter with two early birdies but he promptly dropped one and thereafter trundled along in uncustomary conservative fashion at two under.

While the big names were drawing the big crowds, unheralded Charley Hoffman, the first out of 97 golfers in the field, was stealing the early plaudits with a clubhouse-leading score of five-under 67, built around an eagle at 15.

“I knew going into it, I like playing early and I like playing at a decent pace, so I knew this was going to benefit my game pretty well,” he said.

Fellow American Russell Henley posted a 68, with 65-year-old Tom Watson once again turning back the clock with a one-under par 71.

Out on the course, England’s 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose was five under through 15 and Bill Haas and back-in-form Englishman Paul Casey were three under after 12.

Mickelson had something of a mixed bag, but was holding firm at two under through 11.

There were other compelling storylines to look out for later in the day in one of the most hotly-anticipated Masters tournaments in recent years.

Australian Adam Scott can make it two wins in three years, while a new wave of young American golfers, led by Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, are firmly knocking at the door of major glory.

Australian Jason Day, Spanish shotmaker Sergio Garcia and American talent Rickie Fowler provide a fine anchor group last out at 1759 GMT, but the weather could be a factor by then.

Thunderstorms were forecast at some time in the late afternoon and worse is expected to come on Friday before a calmer and cooler weekend sets in.