Tiger Woods returned to competition for a first time since capturing a 15th Major at Augusta National only to stumble his way to a two-over par 72 on the opening day of the PGA Championship.

The Black course at Bethpage Park greeted Woods when he posted a double-bogey ‘6’ and while Woods eagled his 13th to get back to one-under, he then dropped three shots over his closing five holes.

Nine years ago, Woods had produced an opening 67 on a same par-70 layout and was never headed in capturing the 2002 US Open by three shots at three-under, and the only player to finish the four rounds under par.

Tiger Woods struggles with a 72 on the opening day of the PGA Championship

And it will take more of the same as nine-years ago is Woods is to capture back-to-back Majors for a first occasion since April 2001.

“The golf course is playing tough,” Woods said. “It’s not that hard to make bogeys out there but it’s hard to make birdies.”

“I did fight my way back and got it under par for the day but just let it slip with a couple of mistakes and a couple of bad putts at the end.”

It was only the fourth time in 82 major starts that Woods began with a double bogey or worse, but the first time at a PGA while Woods had gone 118 consecutive holes in stroke play without a double-bogey or worse – since running up a quadruple-bogey at the famous par-three 17th at the Players Championship in March.