Tiger Woods made his much-anticipated return to competition Wednesday, tackling unheralded Australian Brendan Jones in the first round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.
Woods, whose eight-month absence was the longest of his pro career, got off to a quick start, making a birdie at the opening hole and taking a 2-up lead at the second, where he hit his approach within four feet and Jones conceded.
It was just what Woods said he was hoped to do and although he surrendered a hole to Jones with a bogey at the seventh, he responded with a birdie at the eighth and remained 2-up through 10 holes.
Woods had said since last Thursday, when he announced his intention to defend his title here, that he was eager to feel the rush of competition.
"I've had plenty of rounds. I've simulated tournaments the best I possibly can, but it's hard to get the adrenaline up," he said.
Woods hadn't hit a ball in competition since last June, when he won his 14th major title at the US Open at Torrey Pines.
Woods triumphed in a 19-hole playoff, then underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
After surgery and rehabilitation, Woods said both of his legs were stronger than they had ever been, allowing him to execute his swing better.
Woods was joined at the top of the draw by Spain's Sergio Garcia, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Fiji's Vijay Singh.
Against Jones, Woods said he would be "trying to get into the rhythm of the round as fast as I possibly can."
It happened quickly Wednesday for American Anthony Kim and Colombian Camilo Villegas.
Kim handily beat Taiwan's Lin Wen-Tang 7 and 5 while Villegas downed Australian Rod Pampling 7 and 6.
Kim said he was happy to finish off the match quickly.
"To be able to save my legs and get the match over with was something that I was hoping would happen," said Kim, who took a one-up lead with a birdie at the second hole and never relinquished it.
Kim finished off Lin, who had seven bogeys on the day, with his third birdie of the day at the par-five 13th.
Kim will next face England's Oliver Wilson, who upset South Korea's KJ Choi 3 and 1.
Wilson and Kim already have a match-play history after Wilson teamed with Henrik Stenson to rally for a match win in the Ryder Cup in September.
Australian Mathew Goggin notched an upset over another US Ryder Cup hero, downing Kenny Perry 2 and 1.
England's Lee Westwood was another early winner, advancing with a 2-and-1 victory over Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng.
Mickelson survived a tricky encounter with 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina.
Mickelson, fresh from defending his US PGA Tour title in Los Angeles on Sunday, was 4-up through 13 holes but lost the next four in a row.
Cabrera won the last three of those with birdies before they halved the 18th, where Cabrera sank a 10-footer for par to extend the match.
Mickelson finally captured the match with a birdie at the 19th hole.
"I played against a very tough competitor in Angel," Mickelson said. "He probably didn't start the front nine the best, but the back nine he sure hit a lot of good golf shots and won four holes in a row there in the end.
"I was fortunate to win in sudden death, but I'll glady take it."
Mickelson is drawn in the quarter headed by Singh, who opened his campaign against Soren Kjeldsen.
Garcia faced South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, while Harrington took on American Pat Perez.
Harrington said the vagaries of match play meant that any golfer who earned his spot in the 64-man field was a potential winner on Wednesday.
"It doesn't matter who you play in the top 64," he said. "They can all play.
"I've got to play my game, and still you don't know if that's going to be good enough. You have to go out there and play and see what happens.
Copyright 2009  AFP Global Edition
