GOLF US MASTERS: Philip Reidsaw the world number one handle the most anticipated tee-shot in golf with typical aplomb

THE MOST anticipated tee-shot in golf, maybe ever, sailed high and straight and found the right-hand side of the fairway. Number 33 – the number allotted to Tiger Woods and worn on the white jumpsuit of his caddie Steve Williams – was back. The return from the wilderness was confirmed.

Outside, a plane flew along Washington Road trailing a banner with a question for the man whose extramarital activities over the past five months had become the butt of jokes on late-night talk-shows and made everyone wonder had he could have lived this secret life.

“Tiger: Did you mean bootyism?” was the question posed by the flying banner.

Inside, the security personnel were taking no chances as Woods made the walk from the practice putting green to the first tee.

All week, there had been rumours that one of his alleged exes would make an appearance and there have been suggestions that the security folk were issued with photos of the gals in question.

As Woods made his approach to the tee with Matt Juchar and KJ Choi, the white-shirted security men widened the corridor between the ropes by an extra 10 feet or so to ensure there was extra room in case of an interloper gate-crashing Tiger’s return party.

There wasn’t anyone planted in the crowd, no-one ducking under the green ropes like a Las Vegas showgirl jumping out of a cake. Not a sign of Joslyn or Rachel.

Rather, Woods was given a rousing reception by spectators who had gather behind the tee and stood five-deep along the ropes down the first fairway and his introduction to the crowd by the man with the mike was greeted by another loud roar.

Tiger was back for sure, and it was clear that forgiveness – certainly in a golfing sense – had been dispensed by his fans.

The twirl of the driver after his tee shot was typical of Woods, so too the gritted smile and the tip of the cap.

By coincidence, Mark O’Meara, who has re-established his role as surrogate father in aiding Woods’s rehabilitation, was finishing out on the 18th green at the very time that the world’s number one golfer was teeing off. O’Meara finished with a bogey, for a 75, while Woods was setting out on a journey of discovery on terrain which had once been the promised land.

After five months away from tournament play, part of which included spending 45 successive days in in-patient therapy at a clinic in Mississippi, Woods – for a decade and a half the focus of the golfing world for his golfing achievements – returned to that stage which he was groomed for, rather than occupying a place on the scandal sheets and celebrity internet sites.

This Tiger Woods – whatever version came to the course – seemed cool, calm and collected. And, of course, the drive on the third that set up his birdie (a five-footer) was completed with that old, traditional twirl of his.