Goateed Tiger Appears at Public Tournament

Tiger Woods is back on the golf course, this time playing before the general public at Quail Hollow in his first regular PGA Tour event.

Just like the Masters, where he made his return to golf after five months, Woods was sporting a goatee on Wednesday. And similar to Augusta National, the gallery offered a warm applause as he made his way around the course during a pro-am.

Woods stopped and posed for a picture with a young boy as he walked to the second tee.

He planned to speak later in the day, right after Masters champion Phil Mickelson, who is making his first start since winning his third green jacket.

DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C.