Tom, Duffy emerge out of the Woods

However, American golfer Duffy Waldorf, recognised by his multi-coloured attire and David Toms emerged as the leaders with some of the big names still out on the course. Waldorf carded a four-under 67, joined at the top of the leaderboard by David Toms who was at four-under after the 14th hole.

Playing his first competitive round after winning the US Open last month, it seemed that the world number one had brought his final round putting from Bethpage Black along.

Woods started his assault at Muirfield quite similar to the way he played on US Open; three-putting and dropping shots before warming up to card some concluding birdies. Opening with pars on the first four holes, inspite of a bad drive on the first after a photographer snapping at the wrong time disturbed him, he went on to birdie the par-five fifth to get to one-under.

However, he quickly gave up the advantage as he three-putted the sixth from about 15 feet. Making an aggressive birdie putt, he missed the return as well, which was struck quite firmly and skimmed the edge of the cup.

A birdie-bogey-birdie run at the turn consisted of a two-putt for birdie on the par-five ninth. He missed his drive on the tenth, which saw him play it out and leave the chip short, resulting in a missed putt.

He followed it up with another birdie on the 11th where he smoked his two-iron, followed by a nine-iron to five feet and drilled the putt into the hole. Maintaining his score of one-under-par for the day, Tiger carded regulation pars till the 18th where he hit his shot right over the flag. There was complete silence as he stood over his chip, which he left three-feet short of the cup. But Woods did not entertain any thoughts of missing this one and confidently stroked it in.

Playing alongside Shigeki Maruyama, the man with a beaming smile and local favourite Justin Rose, Tiger witnessed some good golf from his fellow competitors. Maruyama carded four birdies and a bogey to finish at three-under while Rose made an eagle and two birdies against a solitary bogey to card a 68.

Thomas Bjorn exhibited some aggressive golf and a hat trick of birdies on the opening three holes was a dream start for the Dane. A dropped shot on the sixth and a birdie on the eighth saw him make the turn in 33. He led briefly at four-under-par, but a bogey on the last saw him join a bunch of players tied at three-under.