• Australian Open, Round One

Tiger sees green shoots of recovery

Tiger Woods signs an autograph © Getty Images

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Tiger Woods has suggested he is on the road back to the top after finally executing on the course what he has been doing on the range.

Former world No. 1 Woods' winless run stretches back two years, a period in his life that has been plagued by injuries and personal problems.

He has been dogged by inconsistency since enlisting the help of Sean Foley as his swing coach, but he headed to the Australian Open in bullish mood and served up a bogey-free round of 68.

It was a round that put him within three of the lead held by Jarrod Lyle and he was delighted with his performance.

"I hit it really good today, that was exactly how I've been hitting it at home so that's good that I was able to take it to the golf course and in these conditions hit all the shots," Woods said.

"I missed a couple of greens here and there but missed them in the right spots, except for nine, that was a terrible golf shot, but I got away with it with a good up and down.

"I think it's rewarding the fact I hit it just like I have been at home, this is the way I've been hitting it at home and kind of what I've been telling you guys. I just needed to take it to the golf course, and here it is."

Woods felt with a little more luck he could have shot an extremely low score.

He said: "I didn't birdie either par five coming in and I hit four lips early in my putts, but I hung in there and just grinded. I was very patient all day and just took advantage when I could.

"It's very easy to make a couple of bogeys in a row and get it going the wrong way but I was just as patient as I possibly could."

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