<div><p>Tiger Woods made his much-anticipated return to competition Wednesday, tackling unheralded Australian Brendan Jones in the first round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.</p><p>Woods, whose eight-month absence was the longest of his pro career, got off to a quick start, making a birdie at the opening hole and taking a 2-up lead at the second, where he hit his approach within four feet and Jones conceded.</p><p>It was just what Woods said he was hoped to do and although he surrendered a hole to Jones with a bogey at the seventh, he responded with a birdie at the eighth and remained 2-up through 10 holes.</p><p>Woods had said since last Thursday, when he announced his intention to defend his title here, that he was eager to feel the rush of competition.</p><p>"I've had plenty of rounds. I've simulated tournaments the best I possibly can, but it's hard to get the adrenaline up," he said.</p><p>Woods hadn't hit a ball in competition since last June, when he won his 14th major title at the US Open at Torrey Pines.</p><p>Woods triumphed in a 19-hole playoff, then underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.</p><p>After surgery and rehabilitation, Woods said both of his legs were stronger than they had ever been, allowing him to execute his swing better.</p><p>Woods was joined at the top of the draw by Spain's Sergio Garcia, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Fiji's Vijay Singh.</p><p>Against Jones, Woods said he would be "trying to get into the rhythm of the round as fast as I possibly can."</p><p>It happened quickly Wednesday for American Anthony Kim and Colombian Camilo Villegas.</p><p>Kim handily beat Taiwan's Lin Wen-Tang 7 and 5 while Villegas downed Australian Rod Pampling 7 and 6.</p><p>Kim said he was happy to finish off the match quickly.</p><p>"To be able to save my legs and get the match over with was something that I was hoping would happen," said Kim, who took a one-up lead with a birdie at the second hole and never relinquished it.</p><p>Kim finished off Lin, who had seven bogeys on the day, with his third birdie of the day at the par-five 13th.</p><p>Kim will next face England's Oliver Wilson, who upset South Korea's KJ Choi 3 and 1.</p><p>Wilson and Kim already have a match-play history after Wilson teamed with Henrik Stenson to rally for a match win in the Ryder Cup in September.</p><p>Australian Mathew Goggin notched an upset over another US Ryder Cup hero, downing Kenny Perry 2 and 1.</p><p>England's Lee Westwood was another early winner, advancing with a 2-and-1 victory over Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng.</p><p>Mickelson survived a tricky encounter with 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina.</p><p>Mickelson, fresh from defending his US PGA Tour title in Los Angeles on Sunday, was 4-up through 13 holes but lost the next four in a row.</p><p>Cabrera won the last three of those with birdies before they halved the 18th, where Cabrera sank a 10-footer for par to extend the match.</p><p>Mickelson finally captured the match with a birdie at the 19th hole.</p><p>"I played against a very tough competitor in Angel," Mickelson said. "He probably didn't start the front nine the best, but the back nine he sure hit a lot of good golf shots and won four holes in a row there in the end.</p><p>"I was fortunate to win in sudden death, but I'll glady take it."</p><p>Mickelson is drawn in the quarter headed by Singh, who opened his campaign against Soren Kjeldsen.</p><p>Garcia faced South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, while Harrington took on American Pat Perez.</p><p>Harrington said the vagaries of match play meant that any golfer who earned his spot in the 64-man field was a potential winner on Wednesday.</p><p>"It doesn't matter who you play in the top 64," he said. "They can all play.</p><p>"I've got to play my game, and still you don't know if that's going to be good enough. You have to go out there and play and see what happens.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=43667078&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

Copyright 2009  <a href="http://www.afp.com/english/links/?pid=copyright">AFP Global Edition</a></div></div>