NASSAU, Bahamas -- If we had to choose the precise moment Thursday when Tiger Woods really started resembling the Tiger of the good ol days, it wouldnt be the opening drive that found the left rough between two bunkers. It wouldnt be the brilliant chip on the par-5 third that led to his first birdie in 466 days. It wouldnt even be his third birdie of the day, on the seventh hole, the product of a laser-beam approach shot and no-doubt-about-it putt that barely elicited a grin.No, the moment he truly started evoking memories of the guy whos won 14 major championships occurred on the next tee, the par-3 eighth, when his impact through the ball was immediately followed by one of his first audible exhortations during the round.One yard! he shouted, a command he often gave when he was hitting his best shots.The ball listened, nestling just a few feet from the hole en route to a fourth birdie and a share of the lead.Thats when some combination of Woods rustiness and the omnipotent golf gods forced him to collectively pump the brakes during his return engagement to competitive golf.You could insist he appeared very much like a different Tiger of old when he failed to get a delicate chip onto the surface from just left of the ninth green. And when he played army golf on the 11th, after a pulled tee shot left and a pushed second shot right led to a swipe at the turf with his club and an unplayable lie penalty stroke. And again when he hooked his drive on the final hole into the adjacent water hazard, then slammed the driver into the ground before carding his second double-bogey in three holes.By the time hed finished, Woods had turned a 4 under start and share of the lead into a 1-over 73 that left him in 17th place in the 18-man Hero World Challenge field.I just made some really silly mistakes, mistakes I dont normally make, Woods said, before reminding himself as much as anyone else, but I havent played in a while.This was a textbook round for someone who hadnt played in a while: Make a few nervy pars just to ease away the tension; ride the wave of adrenaline up the leaderboard; get overtaken by fatigue down the stretch.If we needed further proof, though, of Woods return to familiarity, it came after the round, when he wouldnt acquiesce to that last observation.He was asked a reasonable question about whether hed run out of gas before making those two doubles.I wouldnt say that, he offered. I just made some mistakes.He was asked a similar question about whether he incurred issues with stamina and again wouldnt relent.No, no, not that, he argued. I just made a couple of mistakes out there.This was classic Tiger, who for years has made a practice of debunking even the simplest opinions of his game. Consider it evidence that the new normal for him might still be pretty normal.Score and result notwithstanding, that should be a main takeaway from Thursdays round. He wasnt doubled over with back pain, nor was he chunking uncomplicated chip shots. The truth is, if you didnt know he was a 14-time major champion and didnt know he was returning from a lengthy layoff, he appeared very much like any other professional golfer playing any round of golf.How quickly I fell into the competitive mode and I felt the feel of the round, Woods said when asked what he was most pleased about. By the time I hit my tee shot on the second hole, I had already gotten into the flow of the round. Thats something that for me, when Ive taken layoffs and taken breaks, its how quickly can I find the feel of the round. Its good to be able to play [for the first time] in, what, 15, 16 months and get it on the second hole.The other takeaway is that this round should provide cautious optimism moving forward. Critical analysis aside, his return to competitive golf should be viewed through a positive prism.Woods often talks about the process. Well, hes only going to get stronger and more comfortable moving forward. This should be seen as a terrific first step in that process.Earlier this week, as a few reporters chatted up Woods on the range here at Albany Golf Club, he struck shot after shot, then finally turned to them and quipped, Im not dead yet.On Thursday, the rest of the world got to see that, too.Lakers Jerseys China .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Custom Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Wholesale Lakers Jerseys . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. Fake Lakers Jerseys . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left.Tyler Wright can become Australias 20th world surfing champion and the countrys new queen of the wave at the Cascais Pro in Portugal, starting Saturday.Wright has opened up a significant lead at the top of the title race with three events still remaining, meaning a victory will be enough to claim the title if main contender Courtney Conlogue fails to reach the semi-finals.Wright enters the event as the form-competitor, having taken out last weeks event in California,?where she defeated fellow-Australian and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the final.However its meant she had limited preparation time in Portugal, arriving only late in the week after spending a month in the USA in training for her last event win.Shell also need to turn the tables on the USAs Conlogue, who will enter Portugal with the confidence of knowing she won the final at the same break last year.In contrast, Wright was knocked out in the fourth round,, and has never made the final in three visits to Portugal.ddddddddddddowever Wright has never had a year like this one before.She has already claimed four of the seven events, winning 25 of her 32 heats along the way.Not that its her first real shot at the title.In 2014 she had the opportunity to take Gilmore to a surf-off to determine the title, but she was beaten by Hawaiian Carissa Moore.She can now begin to avenge for that defeat next week in Portugal, when she meets local Teresa Bonvalot and South African Biana Buitendag in the opening round.Conlogue has a tougher opposition in Australian Nikki Van Dijk and Chelsea Tuach of Barbados.Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons face off in the first round with USAs Laker Peterson, while Laura Enever and Keely Andrew are the only other two Australians in the field. 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