Playing his first round of competitive PGA Tour golf since February, Tiger Woods carded a one-under 71 in the first round of the 2020 Memorial Tournament.  

Woods is tied for 18th and five strokes behind leader Tony Finau.

"I would like to have started with easier conditions," Woods told reporters. "Wind pumping and swirling all over the place, and it was different. It was hot, the ball was running, it's getting down there. When I watched last week it wasn't doing that, and certainly the practice round it wasn't doing that. But the golf course has changed. It's gotten faster, and it's only going to continue to get faster."

Woods got off to a strong start with birdies on Nos. 1 and 3 before driving-accuracy issues and struggles on the green curtailed his round.

He bogeyed Nos. 6 and 8 after errant drives to make the turn at even par before reeling off five straight pars to open the back nine. A birdie on No. 15 got him back to one under for the round, but he gave the stroke back the very next hole before finishing up with a birdie on No. 18 to get into the clubhouse at 71.

"It's been a while since I've played," Woods said. "Got off to almost an ideal start and got a feel for the round early. I just didn't make anything today. I had looks at birdies, but I really didn't make much."

Woods had not made an appearance on the PGA Tour since finishing 68th at February's Genesis Invitational. He took time off with back issues before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the PGA Tour for three months. In the meantime, he and Peyton Manning defeated Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in Capital One's The Match, a televised event for charity.

Woods is one stroke behind Rory McIlroy and one ahead of Brooks Koepka, his playing partners for the first two rounds. A five-time winner at the Memorial, Woods has never missed the cut in his 17 previous appearances at the event.

Woods told reporters Tuesday the energy is "different" without fans in attendance.