Tiger Woods at Hero World Challenge 2016: Thursday Leaderboard Score, Reaction

Tiger Woods enjoyed some vintage highs and endured a handful of frustrating lows in his long-awaited return to competitive golf Thursday, as the 14-time major champion posted a one-over 73 in the opening round of the 2016 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

Woods had last teed it up at the 2015 Wyndham Championship nearly 16 months ago—466 days, to be exact. After an extended rehabilitation process following multiple back surgeries, golf’s biggest draw looked healthy and ready to compete in Round 1.

Although there were unsurprising signs of rust, including a series of mistakes over the final three holes, the round showed he’s capable of making a charge when his game is clicking. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, though.

Let’s check out Woods’ scorecard from Day 1 at the Albany Golf & Beach Resort:

And here’s an updated look at the tournament leaderboard:

Bob Harig of ESPN.com passed along comments Woods made this week as he prepared to make his comeback as the 898th-ranked player in the world.

“People around me who know me—my physicians, my friends, family—they know how hard it’s been to get to this point,” he said. “It’s taken a lot of work, but I’m here.”

Woods posted a message on social media Thursday morning before taking to the course:

Can’t wait to get back out there and mix it up with the boys. –TW #heroworldchallenge

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) December 1, 2016

The Hero World Challenge, which he hosts to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation, represented a soft landing spot for his return. It’s an 18-player field with no cut, giving him an opportunity to compete against some of the best players in the world across four rounds.

His presence made it feel more like a marquee PGA Tour event, though, and he gave the fans in attendance plenty of reason to get excited in the early going.

Woods carded four birdies over the first eight holes, highlighted by three straight starting on the par-five sixth. His swing, which had gotten out of whack while he tried to overcome his back injury, looked more consistent, smooth and repeatable.

The best example came off the tee on the eighth. The PGA Tour showcased …

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