2022 Masters: Tiger Woods' unforgettable 71 in return to golf even more remarkable than it seems

Tiger clawed his way out of hospital bed and into early contention at Augusta National

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It was a Thursday that felt like a Sunday. That's what happens when a five-time Masters champion returns to the sport he has decimated over the last quarter century for the first time in 17 months.

In between his last round of competitive golf at the Masters in November 2020 and this first round of the 2022 Masters, Woods had yet another back surgery and nearly lost his leg. So, what did he do after a year and a half off from pro golf at the highest level? He went out and shot a 1-under 71 to beat the field average by three, of course.

Given Woods' stature (the best player ever), what he's accomplished at Augusta National (five green jackets, no missed cuts in 21 tries as a pro) and the adversity he's faced ("stuff … that I don't wish on anyone"), it's a 71 that will go down as one of the most remarkable rounds in Masters history.