Tiger Woods

Jordan Spieth found some success with a tie.

The most unpredictable tournament in golf began Wednesday (Thursday NZ time) with only a few surprises as only four of the top 16 seeds in group play failed to win their opening match at Austin Country Club.

Woods, a three-time winner of this World Golf Championships, had not played since losing in the opening round in 2013. He had a wild time with Aaron Wise until putting him away on the 17th hole.

"The way we were playing today, we're very thankful it's not stroke-play," Woods said with a laugh.

There were concerns when Woods decided not to risk playing at Bay Hill last week as a result of an injury that had been troubling him "for a few weeks".

American star Woods said he will be ready to return in Jacksonville this week.

"Everything is good," the 14-time major champion told Golfweek on Monday. "I feel good. I needed last week off.

"I didn't want to push it. No need to. Not at my age. Can't do that anymore."

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After years of injury struggles, Woods re-established himself as a contender last season and recorded top-10 finishes at the Open and US PGA Championship.

Victory at the Tour Championship in September ended a five-year wait for an 80th PGA Tour win and helped earn him a place on the United States' Ryder Cup team.

Woods has only played two events so far in 2019 but he heads into his third at the WGC-Mexico Championship confident he is in a better position to challenge at the top of the leaderboard – both in Naucalpan and at Augusta.

Woods, coming off a resurgent 2018 in which he claimed his first PGA Tour victory since 2013 after battling chronic back problems, last played at the Hero World Challenge in December.

The Farmers, a tournament which he has won seven times, will be his first official PGA Tour start since his pulsing victory at the Tour Championship.

The 14-times major winner took a three shot lead into today's final round and carded a one over par 67 to finish on 11 under for the tournament and seal a two stroke victory over compatriot Billy Horschel.

It's 42-year-old Wood's 80th PGA Tour victory and first since 2013.

The victory moves him to second on the all-time PGA winners list behind Sam Snead (82).

Woods spent 10 months on the sidelines last year while recovering from spinal fusion surgery and only started to make full golf swings in mid-October.

But Woods isn't most, and he will not consider his return complete until he re-enters the winner's circle for the first time since 2013.

Woods, however, is starting to feel the physical toll of a long PGA Tour season.

The 42-year-old would like to add his 15th major win this week at the US PGA Championship, climbing to within three of Jack Nicklaus' record, but he's still just surprised and happy to be competing again.

"I needed that day off yesterday," Woods said on Tuesday during his pre-tournament press conference at Bellerive Country Club.

Casey fired a six-under 65 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, safely negotiating the Snake Pit to set the clubhouse target at 10 under.

Reed moved alongside Casey but bogeyed the last to slip into a share of second alongside Woods, who closed with a one-under 70 to secure his best PGA Tour finish since 2013.

Masters champion Sergio Garcia matched Casey's joint-low round-of-the-day to end the week in fourth, with Justin Rose slipping down the leaderboard on the back nine to finish tied-seventh.

More to follow…

Playing in his third Tour event of the year, Woods had ground his way to three under at the Farmers Insurance Open, before missing the cut at the Genesis Open earlier this month.

Woods combined three birdies with two bogeys, including picking up the crucial shot at 18 thanks to a neat chip approach from off the green.

Despite taking a step in the right direction, Woods was disappointed he did not get more out of his round.

McIlroy enjoyed a close-up view of Woods' game over the first two rounds as they were grouped together along with reigning FedExCup champion Justin Thomas at Riviera Country Club.

Woods produced a similar performance to Torrey Pines last month as he struggled to find the fairways with his driver, and although his short game bailed him out several times on day one, he was unable to save par on eight holes in a disappointing 76 that left him four shots adrift of the cut line.

Despite continuing to struggle badly off the tee, Woods completed an even-par 72 at Torrey Pines' South Course to finish the week three under par in his first official start for 12 months.

The 14-time major champion had described his long game in round three as "gross" but took encouragement from his performance in rising winds on Sunday.

In a post-round interview with CBS Sports' Dottie Pepper, Woods said: "I played a lot better today, a lot better.

"It was tough conditions out there, it was tough scoring."

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