Tiger Loves How This Masters Is Going

Sitting in the interview room after his second-round 70 left him tied for third place in the Masters, three shots behind Lee Westwood who was still on the course, Tiger Woods was asked if he liked his position on the leader board.

He paused and smiled.

"Yeah, I do," Woods said.

Woods said he hit the ball better and putted better Friday than he did in his opening 68 on Thursday but a tougher course set-up accounted for his higher score. Still, when Woods finished, there were only two players -- Westwood and Ian Poulter -- in front of him and little likelihood anyone else would jump ahead of him.

Woods said despite the fact he hasn't played a tournament since last fall, he doesn't feel rusty. He credits it to heightened focus in pre-tournament practice sessions with swing coach Hank Haney.

"It feels good to be back in contention," Woods said. "I usually put myself in contention most years here. I'm right there."

And how's this for a switch:

During his 10-minute question and answer session with the media after his round, there was not one question about anything other than his golf.

Woods Lurking Behind Masters Co-Leaders

The sartorially splendid Ian Poulter is tied for the second-round lead at the Masters with Lee Westwood but Tiger Woods is lurking.

Woods birdied the 15th hole then stuffed his tee shot within six feet of the hole at the par-3 16th hole but missed the putt, keeping him three strokes behind the leaders. Poulter, through 17 holes, is 9-under par, tied with Westwood, who has played eight holes.

The news wasn't so good for first-round leader Fred Couples, who finished with three straight bogeys, three-putting the last three holes to fall seven shots behind the leaders. Couples followed his opening 66 with a 75 on the clear, breezy day.

Phil Mickelson is at 5-under par through six holes while 60-year old Tom Watson has fallen six shots off the lead.

Fewer Fireworks At Augusta National Today

The action hasn't been nearly as dramatic early in the second round of the Masters as it was Thursday but the day is still young.

Fred Couples made the turn at 6-under par, tied for the lead with Ricky Barnes, who made two early birdies to climb up the leader board.

The colorfully dressed Ian Poulter (shown in photo) is one shot behhind after seven holes, tied with four players -- Tom Watson, Lee Westwood, Y.E. Yang and Phil Mickelson -- who haven't begun their second rounds.

Tiger Woods made an early birdie at the second hole but gave it back with a bogey at the fourth and is three off the lead after seven holes.

A cool breeze and more difficult hole locations have caused Augusta National to play more difficult today. No player is better than 2-under par in his second round today.

Friday Masters Question: What's Next?

The question today is what's next?

It seems unlikely that the second round of the Masters can go thrill-for-thrill with what happened on Thursday at Augusta National but it is, after all, a place where uncommon things occur.

First-round leader Fred Couples just started and Tiger Woods tees off at 10:35, going back to work on their strong starts.

Couples may be 50 but he seems almost bubbly about the state of his game. Throw in his love of Augusta National, his new-found fondness for putting and the good vibes the crowd gives him and I expect he'll hang around at or near the lead today.

It will be interesting to see if Woods can build on his good play Thursday. Had he putted a little better -- a common problem from him at the Masters in recent years -- Woods could have shot a seriously low score in the first round. He talked Thursday about how normal things felt back on the course and that's not likely to change.

Tom Watson tees off at 12:25 p.m. amid legitimate questions as to whether he can sustain the level of play he showed Thursday. Then again, the same thing was being said at the British Open last summer.

Phil Mickelson tees off at 1:42 and will get the prime afternoon television coverage on ESPN but keep an eye on Lee Westwood, another afternoon starter.

Don't be surprised if he winds up on top when the second round is complete.

Tiger, Masters Get Off To Terrific Start

Well, that answered some questions.

Tiger Woods' 4-under par 68 in the first round of the Masters wasn't just a triumph over nerves, rust and the residue of his personal problems.

It was also the best score he's ever shot in the first round of the Masters -- by two shots.

"Very pleased," Woods said of his first competitve round in more than five months.

It left Woods within two shots of the lead, held by Fred Couples and it made him part of a spectacular leaderboard that was stuffed with stars and storylines.

There was 60-year old Tom Watson sitting one shot behind his Champions Tour colleague Couples. Lee Westwood, the fourth-ranked player in the world, is a shot off the lead as is K.J. Choi, Y.E. Yang and a fellow named Phil Mickelson.

Then comes Woods in a group with the pastel-plated Ian Poulter, Anthony Kim and Nick Watney.

For Woods, the day was an enormous success. It began with him ripping a tee shot down the middle of the first fairway with seemingly the whole world watching. He made a solid par at the first, made his first birdie at the third hole and turned in 3-under 33 after an eagle at the par-5 eighth.

Woods made his second eagle of the day at the par-5 15th hole, vaulting him toward the front of the pack. It's the first time he's ever made two eagles in one Masters round. He had a short birdie putt on the 18th hole that missed, leaving two behind Couples.

For all the concerns about how Woods might be treated, it felt like old times. He was cheered at every hole and, other than a plane that flew over head pulling a banner that read, 'Tiger, Did You Mean Bootyism' at the start, there were no issues.

"It felt normal," he said. "The reception was incredible."

Mickelson Feels The Love At Augusta

Phil Mickelson says he always feels relaxed at Augusta National because of the way the golf course sets up for his explosive game.

But he feels even better at the Masters this week because his wife, Amy, and their three kids are in town.

Mickelson used an eagle-birdie-birdie stretch starting at the 13th hole to ignite his 5-under par 67 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with Tom Watson, Lee Westwood and Y.E. Yang.

Mickelson said it's the first PGA Tour event his family has been with him since The Players Championship last May, shortly before his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Amy was in the team hotel with Mickelson at the Presidents Cup last fall but did not go to the golf course. She did not come to the course Thursday as she continues to battle the side effects from her breast cancer treatments.

"It would be cool but tough," Mickelson said. "Just that she and the kids are here is cool."

Though Mickelson hasn't played particularly well this year, he said before the tournament that Augusta National helps him find his comfort zone. He drove it well Thursday and putted extremely well, holing a 30-foot eagle putt at No. 13 and a 40-footer for birdie at No. 14.

"It's a good start," Mickelson said. "My expectations are high. It's just one of four (rounds)."

Woods Makes His Return Look Routine

With a crowd sometimes 10 deep straining to see him, Tiger Woods made his return to competitive golf seem familiar Thursday at Augusta National.

After a five-month layoff, Woods ripped his nationally televised opening tee shot down the middle of the first fairway after being greeted with loud applause upon walking onto the tee.

As Woods walked with playing partners K.J. Choi and Matt Kuchar down the hill in front of the first tee, the applause returned as they made their way toward their second shots on the par-4 hole.

Photographers were perched near the tee and on a hillside, capturing image of the great anticpated event.

Woods, wearing black pants and a gray striped shirt, fired his approach shot 12 feet left of the hole and narrowlyl missed a birdie putt as he began his quest for his fifth Masters title and 15th major championship victory.

While Woods was making his debut, a small airplane flew near Augusta National pulling a banner that read, 'Tiger Did You Mean Bootyism?'

By the time Woods began play, he was four shots behind early first-round leader Tom Watson, who shot 68.