Tiger Woods Masters: Hole-by-hole look at first round

The 2018 Masters could very well be the most anticipated since the 2001 edition, where Tiger Woods was going for -- and completed -- a Tiger Slam, winning all four majors in succession, but not in the same calendar year.

Today, at 10:42 a.m., Woods tees off in the Masters for the first time since 2015.

We'll be following along all day to see how the round plays out and updating this running blog throughout.

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Tiger is a four-time Masters champion, which is tied for second all-time, trailing only Jack Nicklaus with a record six.

In Tiger's four wins at the Masters -- 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005 -- he has opened with rounds of 70, 70, 70 and 74, respectively. Based on that, a fast start is not a must. Remarkably, a 4-under 68 in 2010 is the only sub-70 opening round in Tiger's Masters history.

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No. 1: Here was Tiger's tee shot on No. 1, which sailed left and into the pine straw:

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After that tee shot, Woods hit a beautiful recovery to the front of the green and managed a spectacular two-putt to open the 2018 Masters with a par.

No. 2: Woods blasted a 351-yard drive right down the center of the fairway. That left him with just 219 yards into the par 5 for his second shot, but he fanned the iron approach right and into the greenside bunker.

From that greenside bunker, Woods sent the ball well past the hole and he had a slippery 15-footer left for a birdie. The putt just missed on the right edge of the cup. He walked away with par to remain at even through two holes.

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No. 3: For the second consecutive hole, Woods absolutely roasted his tee shot. It finished just 17 yards shy of the flag on the 350-yard, par 4. From 148 yards out, Woods goes a bit long and will have a lengthy birdie try.

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Woods sent the pitch shot 10 feet past the hole, but walked in the putt for his first birdie of the day to get to 1 under and one shot off the lead.

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No. 4: In relation to par, this hole has been the toughest in Tiger's career at 17 over. His tee shot on the par-3, 240-yarder came up short and into the bunker. 

And the rough trend on No. 4 continues. Woods misses a 12-footer for par and makes his first bogey of the day, canceling out the birdie on No. 3. He heads to the fifth tee at even par.

No. 5: Woods elected to use 3-wood off the tee on the 455-yard, par 4, but his safe play didn't pay off, as he found the fairway bunker. That's three bunkers in the first five holes for the four-time Masters champ.

Tiger couldn't see the green from the bunker, but managed to find it with his second shot. It landed on the front and he'll have about 60 feet for a birdie try. The lag putt sailed about 8 feet past the hole -- further than Tiger would have liked. 

Woods misses the par try on the left side and it's back-to-back bogeys for Woods. He's 1 over for the day.

No. 6: At the downhill, 195-yard, par-3 sixth, Woods loved his tee shot the whole way. He stuck it to 5 feet. The putt, however, missed low left and it's a missed opportunity. The par keeps him at 1 over.

No. 7: It's a 3-wood off the seventh tee for Woods and it's perfect. Right down the pipe. 

His approach shot stayed on the green, but went further than he would have liked. With a two-putt par, he remained at 1 over.

No. 8: On the second par-5 of the day for Woods, his driver tee shot was perfect -- 300 yards. He'll had 266 yards left for his second.

Woods came up short left with his second shot. His pitch shot sailed well past the hole and had about 30 feet left for birdie.

Tiger's birdie try -- a huge left-to-right swinger -- settles about 5 feet past the hole. He makes the come-backer for par to stay at 1 over. That's two pars on the two front-nine par 5s for Woods.

No. 9: Tiger's tee shot goes 309 yards and just off the fairway.

With a short second shot, Tiger finds the green, but will have a long putt for birdie.

Woods lags it up to around 2 feet and knocks it in for par and an outward nine of 1-over 37.

No. 10: On his first hole of the back side, Tiger striped yet another drive. The driver has been Tiger's nemesis in 2018, but that hasn't been the case today.

Tiger's approach is less than stellar. He misses the green, but will be able to use putter if he wants for the third shot... Looks like he didn't want the putter. Woods pitches to close range instead.

Tiger got up and down for a par, always a good score on the difficult 10th. He remains at 1 over.

No. 11: Tiger's tee shot -- with driver -- sailed way right of right. He'll hope it's far enough right to have a shot at the green.

With 199 left from the rough, Woods -- choking up on an iron -- leaves it hanging right and into a cluster of patrons, leaving a lot of work for his third.

The third shot sails 18 feet past the hole and he'll have a slick putt to try to save par.

Woods misses the putt on the left side and that's his third bogey of the day. He's 2 over through 11 holes. 

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No. 12: Amen Corner is not being kind to Woods. His tee shot on the par-3 12th is in Rae's Creek.

Woods took plenty of time to figure out where exactly he wanted to take his drop. He settled on just in front of Rae's Creek, about 60 yards away. His third shot settled into the fringe, leaving a lot of work for bogey. 

Woods knocks in a lengthy putt from off the green for a huge bogey. It could have been a lot worse. He heads to No. 13 at 3 over for the round with two par 5s coming in the next three holes.

No. 13: With a 3-wood off the tee on the par 5, Woods hangs his ball out to the right and into the pine straw.

Woods didn't have a chance to try for the green in two and hangs another one out to the right. He'll have a good look at the flag for his third, however.

Tiger's third shot was a good one and he'll have a birdie look from about 15 feet. Tiger slid the birdie try just past the hole and tapped in for par to remain at 3 over.

No. 14: It's another great tee shot for Woods at the 14th hole. With a short-iron approach, Woods hits a spectacular shot to within 8 feet.

Woods confidently holed the putt for just his second birdie of the day. He moved to 2 over for the round with a par 5 coming up.

No. 15: Woods is in less than ideal position after hanging his tee shot well out to the right on the par-5 15th.

From the trees, Woods was forced to hit a wedge shot back into position. With his third, Woods found the green and left himself about a 25-foot try for birdie.

Woods leaves the putt short and taps in for par. That's all pars on the four par 5s today at Augusta National. He stays at 2 over.

No. 16: After a solid tee shot, Woods will have an uphill putt for birdie from about 20 feet on the par 3.

Tiger's birdie putt sneaks in the side door -- his third birdie of the day. He gets back to 1 over and four shots off the lead. 

No. 17: Tiger's tee shot on 17 -- with driver -- is right down the pipe.

Solid second shot on 17 for Woods, as it holds the back edge of the green. He'll be looking at about a 20-footer for birdie... he misses the putt and taps in for par. He's 1 over with one to play.

No. 18: Tiger stripes his tee shot on 18 down the center.

From 172 yards out with his approach, Woods puts it just on the back fringe and will again have about 20 feet for a birdie.

Woods cozied it up to the hole and tapped in for par and an opening 1-over 73. When Woods won his last Masters in 2005, he opened with a 2-over 74.