Tiger Woods may have pronounced himself fit but he looked far from ready for his return to action at the Hero World Challenge, after a four-month absence from competition.

Woods, who shut down his 2014 season in August after having back surgery and then further discomfort, was five-over and in last place after a 77 at his former home course of Isleworth in an 18-man event benefiting his foundation.

That left him 11 shots off the pace set by last weekend's Australian Open winner Jordan Spieth, whose short game, in sharp contrast to that of Woods, was immaculate, culminating in a fine up and down to hold on to the lead at the last.

His 66 was one shy of the 65 he carded at the same venue while in college.

Graeme McDowell carded a 68 to share sixth with Japan's Hideyeki Matsuyama and American Jimmy Walker, two adrift of Spieth, and a shot behind Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Steve Stricker. McDowell reached the turn in 34 thanks to birdies at seven and eight, but bogeys at 10 and 18 undermined the shots he picked up at 11, 12, 14 and 17.

Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar were also well placed on three under.

Woods was, in fact, five over at the turn. He began inauspiciously when he cranked his first shot of a warm, sunny day through the fairway of a dogleg right and just short of a pool in a former neighbour’s yard.

Politely cheered on by a friendly gallery hoping to see the former world number one take a positive step, Woods stumbled again with a bogey at the par-three second.

Appearing slimmer and less muscular than recent years, Woods had trouble controlling the ball, and did not hit his first fairway until the sixth hole.

His worst came at the par-four eighth. Once again, he came close to making an unscripted visit in his former neighbourhood when his tee shot soared to the left, carried through some trees and bounced off a metal fence fronting a home.

With a limited backswing, Woods tried to punch out but ricocheted off one of the trees on his way to the fairway. The tournament host, who backhanded his club against the fence in frustration, took a double-bogey.

A solitary birdie at 12, after he so nearly holed out a 127-yard approach, was followed by a bogey at the next but his back nine was mercifully less eventful and he signed off on a five-over-par 77 with solid par putt.

Nevertheless, he was still rock bottom of the 18-man field and four adrift of his nearest rivals – compatriots Patrick Reed and Billy Horschel – with Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose level par.