'Rusty' Tiger Woods makes return as Brian Harman and Tony Finau share Hero World Challenge lead

Tiger Woods' first round of tournament golf in 236 days showed plenty of promise before a wayward drive with three holes to go led to a three-over-par 75 in the first round of the Hero World Challenge on Thursday.

Woods, who is competing for the first time since withdrawing in the third round of the Masters in May, is the tournament host and five-time winner of this week's event in the Bahamas. Playing with good friend Justin Thomas in the 20-player invitational field, Woods carded four birdies and five bogeys in the first round.

He reached one under on four occasions, including with an up-and-down birdie on the 14th hole. However, he pulled his ensuing drive left on the par-5 15th.

Woods' ball came to rest under a bush and rather than taking an unplayable lie, he tried to advance it. The ball rolled out a couple of feet and he was forced to play backward into the fairway.

Woods failed to get up-and-down for par on the 16th, then three-putted the17th for consecutive bogeys that dropped him to three over.

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"I was rusty, I didn't have my feels and conditions were tough early," he told the Golf Channel shortly after walking off the 18th green with a par.

"I kind of hung through there, and I did not finish off my round when I needed to. Consequently, it kind of went sideways at the end."

Woods is eight shots off the lead held by Brian Harman and Tony Finau, who each shot five-under 67 on Thursday. Jordan Spieth is another shot back at four under thanks to two eagles. Two-time defending champion Viktor Hovland struggled to a one-over 73 on Thursday.

Woods underwent surgery in the spring for plantar fasciitis and said that he felt prepared for the rigours of walking all four rounds in the tournament.

He is ahead of only