Tiger Woods and Justin Rose both find themselves three shots off the lead after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
While Korean Charlie Wi and American Jason Dufner share a two-shot lead after each shooting six-under-par 66s on the opening day at Bay Hill, and Nick Watney lies alone in third after a 68, three-under 69s from Woods and Rose have put them solidly in the frame in a seven-way tie for fourth.
The vaunted duo are tied with the likes KJ Choi, Anthony Kim, Bubba Watson, Sean O'Hair and Jimmy Walker.
Woods, playing in his first tournament since returning from injury after injuring his Achilles two weeks ago, is a six-time winner of this event, and gave himself a solid enough start from which to potentially launch a seventh title assault.
Woods made only one bogey from a three-putt at the short 17th and otherwise looked in control, not showing any signs of lingering injury concerns as he rolled in four birdies.
"For some reason the course just fits my eye," he said.
"I was just solid all day - I drove the ball well, hit my irons decent and putted all right.
"I had two three-putts (he did it for par on the long fourth), but also made a couple of bombs out there.
"I took something off most of my drives. I didn't really feel great with my tee shots, but I was getting the ball in play - and the ball is flying forever. Normal drives go about 310 (yards) or something like that.
"I'm in a position where I can hit it again. That's something that's been missing for a while and it's all the work that Sean (coach Sean Foley) and I have put together."
Three of Woods' birdies came on the first six holes and he then reached the green in two at both the 12th and 16th and made a 32-foot putt on the 15th. His lone bogey followed at 17, only moments before Anthony Kim had a hole-in-one there.
Rose, winner of the prestigious WGC-Cadillac Championship a fortnight ago, is trying to make it four European victories in a row in the States, and though he found himself one over after five, he sank a 22-footer at the 15th (his sixth) and then had three more birdies in a four-hole stretch from the fourth to post his 69.
Should the Englishman win this week he will lift himself to a career-high fourth in the world.
Rose's playing partner Phil Mickelson shot a one-over 73, recovering nicely with three birdies in six holes after bogeys at the 18th and third.
Scot Martin Laird began his title defence with a level par 72, the same as Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia, while Ian Poulter and Ernie Els, who needs to win this week to earn a Masters spot, each had a 71.
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