Genesis Invitational: Tiger Woods marks return with birdie blitz finish, McIlroy and Rahm in the mix

The tournament host was five strokes back from co-leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell at Riviera Country Club, after not having played an event without the use of a cart since last summer's Open Championship, when he missed the cut at St Andrews.

The 47-year-old's legs held up on a day where he mixed five birdies with three bogeys on a mild California afternoon.

With throngs of fans trying to get a glimpse of the action, Woods picked up a birdie straight out of the gate at the par-five first.

A bogey followed at the fourth before he got back under par with a birdie at the eighth thanks to a superb approach leaving him just three feet.

Bogeys at the 10th and 12th put him one-over, but Woods would totally turn things around on his last three holes, rolling in a five-foot birdie putt at the 16th before draining a 23-footer at the par-five 17th to go back under par.

Heading to the 18th, Woods and playing partners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas would all close with birdies, Woods sinking a seven-footer for birdie as his two-under 69 was greeted by wild cheers.

"I happened to actually hit some good shots finally and made a couple putts," Woods said. "Even though I had a little mishap at 10, I was able to fight back and get it going. It was a nice finish."

Woods said he got more and more comfortable out on the course as the round wore on.

"There's nothing like come game time just the feeling of the butterflies and trying to calm all that stuff down," he said.

The 15-time major champion has had to severely limit his schedule due to the severe leg injuries he suffered in a February 2021 car accident.

"I was trying to calm myself down all day, trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing out here because I haven't played," Woods said. "I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head trying to get the ball in the correct spots and the correct feels just because I haven't done this in a while."

Woods' leg held up well throughout his round, though he admits he's not sure how his body will respond.

"There's a lot of ice going on here," he said of his post-round treatment. "As soon as I get back to the hotel, it's just icing and treatment and icing and treatment, just hit repeat throughout the whole night.

"Unfortunately, that's my issue is that this leg will never be what it once was, so we have to adapt to it and my team's been incredible."

Meanwhile, McIlroy carded a four-under-par 67 that leaves him just three shots off Homa and Mitchell's lead as he continued his mission to replace Scottie Scheffler at the head of the rankings.

The 33-year-old shot an opening four-under 67 to be three strokes back, while Scheffler could only manage 70.

McIlroy did not make a single bogey on his card, picking up shots at the first, 11th, 14th and 18th.

Victory for McIlroy would see him overhaul the American regardless of the latter's result, while outright third place would be good enough for the Northern Irishman unless Scheffler finishes in the top 25 or Jon Rahm wins or is outright second.

It was no surprise to find Rahm near the top of the leaderboard after an opening 65. The Spaniard lies just one stroke behind the co-leaders heading into the second round after a round that mixed eight birdies with two bogeys.