CNN
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To say Tiger Woods’ return to competition was a success would be an understatement.

Playing alongside his son Charlie and with daughter Sam as caddy, Team Woods shot a stunning 13-under round of 59 in the first round of the two-day PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday.

The spectacular performance brought the father-son team to the top of the table in a three-way battle for the lead.

Playing in a scramble format, the Woodses finished the day with 13 birdies on their scorecard in a bogey-free round. Tiger and Charlie scored birdies on seven of the nine holes on the second nine holes Saturday.

“Being here in this environment and having so much fun – it doesn’t get any better than that,” Woods told NBC after the round. “This week is for each other and we are rooting for each of us so hard to get every attempt we want.”

The tournament ends on Sunday after another 18-hole round.

“This week is for each other, and we’re rooting for each of us to get every shot we want,” Tiger Woods said.

This is the fifth time that Team Woods has participated in the two-day, 36-hole competition, which features 20 major champions and their family members.

Woods’ public return to golf comes after he underwent successful back surgery in September.

Before this week, Woods had not played competitive golf since the Open Championship in July. He has made just 13 starts on the PGA Tour over the past four seasons and has completed a full four rounds just twice since sustaining a serious leg injury in a car accident in 2021.

On Friday, Woods revealed that after numerous surgeries in recent years, the physical strain often prevents the 15-time major winner from putting together a string of good rounds.

“I’ve had a lot of procedures over time,” Woods said Friday. “I will no longer feel what I used to feel. And recovery will be more difficult. I can train for a day here or there, but as the rounds, weeks, months go by it becomes more and more difficult.”

Woods said 15-year-old Charlie beat him for the first time in a round of golf – although he quickly clarified that it was over nine holes, not 18.

“Yeah, he beat me by nine holes,” Woods told reporters Friday, according to the PGA Tour. “He hasn’t beaten me over 18 holes yet. That day is coming; I’ll just extend it as long as possible.”

Woods said that since last year, Charlie has grown “3.5 to 4 inches tall” and has become “stronger, faster and heavier.” Therefore, he hopes that Charlie will handle all the driving and putting, while Tiger can only serve as a “backup” in the tournament.

Woods also shared the advice he gave his son to deal with the pressure that comes with the Woods name.

“I just always remind him, ‘Just be yourself.’ Charlie is Charlie. Yes, he’s my son, he’ll have that last name as part of the sport, but I just want him to just be himself, you know, and his own person. That’s what we’re always going to focus on and we’re always going to encourage him to just make his own name, make his own path and take his own journey.”

When asked how Charlie is handling the spotlight so far, Woods replied, “I think he’s doing a great job.”