Woods three back of Matteson at CIMB Classic

• By Golf Channel Digital
• Oct 25, 2012 3:54 AM ET

Tiger Woods used a back-nine flourish to shoot 5-under 66 in the opening round of the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Woods made five birdies on the inward half to finish within three stokes of first-round leader Troy Matteson.

"Really made some good swings on the back nine," Woods said after competing in the hot, humid conditions. "It's a little stifling. The wind made it more difficult."

Matteson birdied his final four holes Thursday, including a bunker hole-out at the last, for an 8-under 63. Three players are knotted at 7 under, including Brian Harman, Jeff Overton and Robert Garrigus.

Tiger Tracker: Day 1 of the CIMB Classic

CIMB Classic Round 1 scores

''The pin is really tricky on 18," Matteson said. "I knew I'd be doing good if I could leave myself 7 or 8 feet for par, and it bounced and slam-dunked in the hole. That's the first time all year the ball has managed to hit the pin and stay in the hole.''

Woods was 2 under through seven holes when he lipped out a pair of short par putts on Nos. 8 and 9. After making the turn in even-par 35 – eight shots off the lead – he rolled in a beauty of a birdie on the par-4 10^th, his ball climbing a protective ridge from 25 feet and dropping off perfectly into the hole.

He then birdied the par-5 11^th thanks to a 350-yard drive and a pair of putts.

Following three successive pars, Woods birdied the 292-yard, par-4 15^th after hitting a 3-wood into the left, greenside bunker. He then hit his tee shot on the 174-yard, par-3 16^th to 3 feet for back-to-back birdies. Woods made it three-in-a-row with a routine up-and-down on the par-5 17^th.

Woods had a chance to shoot 30 on the back nine, but missed a 10-foot birdie putt at the last. He will play alongside Jbe' Kruger, who also opened 66, in Round 2 at 10:10 p.m. ET.

"It's going to take something over 20 under par to win this tournament," Woods said. "It's a different type of mindset. Shooting even par on the front nine, felt like I got run over."

This event is co-sanctioned by the PGA and Asian tours; though, it is not an official PGA Tour event. It features a 48-man field and has no cut.

Golf Channel coverage of Round 2 of the CIMB Classic begins Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.