Tiger Woods Back In Action After Sex Scandal

Tiger Woods has returned to top-flight golf at the US Masters, five months after sordid allegations about his private life threatened to ruin his career.

The world number one was given a big cheer from the Augusta National crowd - one fan shouted "Make us proud, Tiger".
And he soared into contention with two eagles on the way to a four-under-par 68 to lie two strokes off the pace.
Woods had shaved off the goatee beard he has sported throughout practice this week and he appeared relaxed as he smiled with fans.
But it is a measure of the focus on Woods now that throughout his first day's play he was shadowed by four armed members of the Richmond County Sheriff's office and six security guards.

Tiger Woods begins opening round at Augusta

There was little sign of the rustiness in his game that many had predicted after such a long lay-off.
Woods has not played since victory in Australia in November.
Shortly afterwards, he was involved in a minor car accident near his Florida home and a torrent of revelations about his private life followed.
As Woods was beginning his comeback, a small plane circled the Augusta course towing banners with slogans referring to his alleged infidelity.

What the local newspaper calls 'Tigermania' is attracting some strange types to Augusta.

Read blog by Greg Milam at US Masters

Woods is a famously bad starter at the Masters, a championship he has won four times, and the bookies have lengthened the odds on him winning this year.
Most fans at the prestigious Georgia course are supportive of Woods as he begins his rehabilitation.
Mary Barnes told Sky News: "I think the media has made more of this than they needed to. This is for him and his wife to sort out in private. For us, we just want to see him winning again."
But Woods began his comeback with surprising criticism from the chairman of the Augusta National.

Woods smiled as he waited on the first tee

Billy Payne shattered the sense of choreographed calm around the tournament, saying Woods had "disappointed all of us" and would no longer be judged by his performance on the golf course.
But he offered this positive thought. "We at Augusta hope and pray that our great champion will begin his new life here in a positive, hopeful and constructive manner, but this time, with a significant difference from the past.
"This year, it will not be just for him, but for all of us who believe in second chances."
And there has been criticism of the release of a TV commercial by Nike. It features Woods and the words of his late father.

Woods in the new Nike advert

Barbara Lippert, advertising critic for Adweek, said: "It is definitely powerful, creepy and cynical. But it does what Nike need it to do.
"For Nike, Tiger is like one of the banks on Wall Street. He's like Citibank. He's too big too fail. They have to prop him up and they have to show that he's learned a lesson and been scolded.
"As the corporate parent, they can't do it, they need his real parent."
Woods will play his second round at Augusta on Friday, hoping to make the cut for the final rounds at the weekend.