Tiger Woods produces flashes of brilliance on return to competition - in pictures

American superstar and son Charlie in the mix in the PNC Championship

Charlie Woods tees off while being watched by father Tiger Woods on the first tee during the first round of the PNC Championship golf tournament Saturday, December 18, 2021, in Orlando. AP

Charlie Woods plays a shot on the ninth hole as Tiger Woods looks on. AFP

Tiger Woods and son Charlie Woods wait to play their shot on the 18th fairway. USA Today

Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods walk off the 14th hole. AFP

Tiger Woods and Charlie celebrate a birdie on the 15th hole. AFP

Charlie Woods hits a shot on the 16th hole. AFP

Tiger Woods and Charlie wait to play on the 17th hole. AFP

Charlie Woods plays a shot on the second hole as Tiger Woods looks on. AFP

Tiger and Charlie Woods line up a putt during the first round. Reuters

Stewart Cink and Reagan Cink look over a shot on the 18th hole. AFP

Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas wait on the 18th hole. AFP

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods enjoying the first round. Reuters

Tiger Woods is in the mix for a trophy again after a strong showing with his son Charlie during the first round of the PNC Championship, combining for a 10-under 62 on Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.

The duo are tied for fifth after a round that the 15-time Grand Slam champion called "awesome" with Woods playing for the first time since badly breaking his right leg 10 months ago in a car accident.

Competing again also demonstrated to Woods that there is a long way to go before he can consider about playing PGA Tour events - though he was very satisfied with the occasional flash of brilliance as he travelled the course in a cart.

“Two good shots - three - came off exactly how I wanted,” Woods said. “We had so much fun out there.

"But I don't have endurance. I haven't played. It's tiring out there, so it was a slow day.

"But that's something that I'm going to have to - if I want to compete out here at the tour level - I'm going to have to get the endurance back and hit thousands upon thousands of golf balls. Just takes time."

Stuart Cink and his son Reagan are in the lead at 13-under 59. John Daly and his son John II and defending champions Justin Thomas and his father Mike are tied for second at 12 under while Vijay Singh and his son Qass are fourth at 11 under.

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Team Woods had 10 birdies during a bogey-free round using the scramble format. Charlie, age 12, certainly did his part in the strong showing.

"He loves competing," Tiger said of Charlie. "Our whole family loves to compete at everything we do. This is an arena in which he feels comfortable in and so do I."

The Thomas family played with Woods and Justin said he was amazed over what he witnessed, particularly when Woods hit a shot from 220 yards out on the par-5 third hole and left it eight feet from the hole.

"That was just ridiculous," Justin Thomas said. "I looked at him and as soon as he sat in the cart, he just kind of looked at me and smiled. And I knew exactly that's the kind of shots that he hits when he's healthy."

The Cinks had 11 birdies and an eagle on the par-5, No. 5 in the day's best showing.