While there are plenty of quality players at the top end of the leaderboard, none of the world's top six ranked players are at Bay Hill, easing the competition somewhat.

It is therefore hard to think of a more ideal situation for Woods to claim his first PGA Tour win since the BMW Championship in September 2009.

The most recent challenge Woods made to win a cheap scotty Cameron putter

 came at last month's Honda Classic when a final round 62 put pressure on Rory McIlroy but was not enough to overtake the Northern Irishman.

But this time, Woods sits atop the leaderboard, a place that was once his habitual home but where he has been a rare visitor since the disintegration of his personal life and string of injuries halted his run of success.

"It's not like it has been that long, you know. I had the lead at Abu Dhabi this year. So it really has not been as long as people might think it has been," Woods said with a grin.

"I'm comfortable up there and I feel like I am playing titleist sm4 wedge

 well. We've still got a long way to go, there are 36 holes to go, I need to carry on doing what I'm doing out there, just kind of plodding my way along."

Woods certainly will not encounter any surprises at Bay Hill, which was once his neighborhood course and has been a very happy hunting ground for him over the years.