Tiger's return to the PGA Tour after a layoff that began the day after he finished The Open across the sea last summer wasn't turning out to be what his horde of admirers at the Genesis Invitational were hoping for.

    After 15 holes, Tiger was 2 over par over the Riviera Country Club course, just 40 miles from one of his homes. He had begun with a birdie on No. 1, a par 5 that he had birdied 30 times in 42 previous tries. But by the time he hit the 16th tee, he had made just one more birdie, on No. 8, and three bogeys, and was a disappointing 2 over par with three holes remaining.

    That's when the old Tiger magic kicked in. He knocked in a 5-footer for birdie on the par-3 16th, a 20-footer for birdie on the par-5 17th, and closed with an 8-footer for birdie on the par-4 18th. The fans were delirious.

    The late outburst moved Tiger into a tie for 27th at 2 under in the field of 129. Several players were still out on the course when play was suspended due to darkness. 

    Homa and Keith Mitchell are tied for the lead at 7-under-par 64, one better than John Rahm, the current No. 1-ranked player in the world. Homa is ranked second. Matt Kuchar, Collin Morikawa and Harris English are tied for third at 5 under, and there's a seven-way deadlock for seventh at 4 under, which includes Rory McIlroy. If Tiger finishes in a T-27, he'll move onto the rankings at the No. 189 spot. 

In trouble: Gator Billy Horschel, 74, Jordan Spieth, 74, and Sam Burns, 75. The early projected cut could come at even-par 71. 

    

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