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Woods three back of Matteson at CIMB Classic

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  • Golf Channel Digital,
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  • Golf Channel Digital
  
Published October 25, 2012 07:54 AM
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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - MAY 07: Sergio Garcia of Spain smiles on the practice range during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship held at THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on May 7, 2010 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

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 10th, his ball climbing a protective ridge from 25 feet and dropping off perfectly into the hole.

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

Following three successive pars, Woods birdied the 292-yard, par-4 15th after hitting a 3-wood into the left, greenside bunker. He then hit his tee shot on the 174-yard, par-3 16th 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 17th.

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.