AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) - After a 30-minute delay due to overnight storms, the first round of the 2022 Masters Tournament is now underway.
The morning began with two-time champion Tom Watson joining six-time champion Jack Nicklaus and three-time champion Gary Player as honorary starters shortly after 8 a.m. at Augusta National Golf Club.
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(L-R) Honorary starter and Masters champion Tom Watson, honorary starter and Masters champion Jack Nicklaus, Masters Chairman Fred Ridley, and honorary starter and Masters champion Gary Player of South Africa pose for photos on the first tee during the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) -
Honorary starter and Masters champion Tom Watson plays his opening tee shot from from the first tee during the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) -
Gary Player of South Africa plays his opening tee shot from the first tee during the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) -
Honorary starter and Masters champion Jack Nicklaus follows his opening tee shot from the first tee during the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) -
(L-R) Honorary starters and Masters champions Tom Watson, Gary Player of South Africa, and Jack Nicklaus embrace on the first tee during the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) -
The names of honorary starters and Masters champions Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson are placed in a sign during an opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
At 11:04 a.m. all eyes were on five-time champion Tiger Woods, playing in his first tournament since the 2020 November Masters, three months before the car crash that nearly took his life. Woods teed off in one of the day's featured groups with Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann.
"I think that the fact that I was able to get myself here to this point is a success, and now that I am playing, now that everything is focused on how do I get myself into the position where I'm on that back nine on Sunday with a chance? Just like I did a few years ago," Woods said during his news conference on Tuesday.
Earlier, Augusta resident Luke List teed off at The Masters for the first time in 17 years at 10:09 a.m. on Thursday morning, and is sure to have a large gallery of locals following him.
"Living here now and being a local is extra special really, and it's such a great golf community and everybody is so supportive of the local guys that are out pursuing this as a job," List said this week. "To be one of those guys now that people can root for, and especially out here, it means a lot to represent Augusta as a community."
Aiken's Kevin Kisner teed off four groups later at 10:42 a.m.
"I'm just going to have to get really hot with the putter and chip and wedge the heck out of it. It's a lot of golf course for me," Kisner said after a practice round this week.
The afternoon wave of tee times will see five of the world's top ten in the final four groups.
Live television coverage begins at 3 p.m. on ESPN. Masters.com and The Masters digital platforms will feature live coverage all day.
This story will be updated throughout the day.
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