Watch: Tiger highlights from Rd. 1 at Valspar Championship

May 13, 2019

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Tiger Woods, playing the Valspar Championship for the first time, got off to a great start on Thursday at the Copperhead Course.

He started with a huge tee shot at the par-5 first.

320 yards.
Longest drive of the day on No. 1.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/NSAYYAPcI9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

And then nearly chipped in for eagle. His tap-in birdie immediately got him into red figures.

INCHES.
Tap-in birdie for @TigerWoods on his first hole of @ValsparChamp.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/fOFTW8hCNI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

After pars on Nos. 2 and 3, Woods missed the green long at the par-3 fourth and failed to get up and down. The bogey dropped him back to even par and tied for 28th place, at the time.

Woods nearly picked up two strokes at the par-4 seventh when his approach shot kicked off the flag stick.

146 yards out.@TigerWoods is DIALED in!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/MqXeZJE0fm
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

Woods missed that putt for birdie, but atoned on the 230-yard, par-3 eighth by sinking a 20-footer to get back to 1 under.

@TigerWoods makes it look easy on his second birdie of the day.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/3uxLx1hu1H
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

Woods concluded his roller-coaster front nine with a bogey at the par-4 ninth, where he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker. At even par, he made the turn four off the lead and tied for 29th place.

But … the up-and-down theme continued at the 10th with this birdie putt.

Bounce. Back.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/fNFYWJtfd3
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

A second consecutive birdie at the par-5 11th got Woods to 2 under par, only two off the lead and tied for sixth place.

Two-straight birdies to start the back nine.
Two-shots back.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/x8jNsTPqiH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2018

Woods ran into some trouble on the next two holes though, making back-to-back bogeys on 12 and 13 to fall back to even par.

Then came the par-4 16th hole, and this insane par save from behind a tree. After finding trouble way left with his drive, Tiger took a big swing, lost his club and nearly injured himself executing a low hook that ended up near the green, where he was able to get up and down.