As the 14-time Major winner made his return to the Open Championship after missing the last two, those seeking signs of “the Tiger effect” on the rest of the field had to look no further than the performance of the most fancied of the home challengers, Russell Knox, late yesterday afternoon.

Woods could hardly have made a more perfect start, drilling two iron shots down the middle of the first fairway, then to within six feet of the pin, before rolling in the first of two birdies in reaching the turn in 34, his efforts marred to that point only by his failure to take advantage of the relatively easy birdie opportunity that the long sixth represented in such benign conditions. By contrast, it was clear that the hoopla which surrounds the American contributed to the ugly opening the US-based Scot made to his round.

Not that he lacked support of his own, his arrival on the tee receiving at least as big a reception as Woods and Knox had made all the right noises in advance, embracing the prospect.

Nor, in terms of form, should he have felt otherwise since, for all that there have been signs of Woods finally becoming more competitive, his last tournament win was five years back as compared with Knox having proved himself over 72 holes and beyond just a fortnight ago when winning the Irish Open in a play-off.

With absence seeming to have made the hearts of the galleries grow even fonder, the impression was that Woods was warming to his task when he responded to his first dropped shot of the round at the 10th hole, by birdieing the next.

Knox, at that point was five shots behind the man he was subsequently to describe as his hero, but as the breeze finally picked up on the evening of a glorious day on the Angus coast, it was the Highlander who rose to the

challenge the better.

As Woods wavered, taking what seemed an eternity to line up a three-footer which then lipped out as he bogeyed the 13th, failing to birdie the 14th, the course’s other par five, then dropping a shot at the 15th, so Knox claimed the honour with an eagle at that 14th hole and held it to the end.

He was, however, disarmingly honest about the effect his playing partner on him. “I played dreadful, to be honest,” said Knox.

“My short game hung me in there. I just didn’t feel normal, understandably there, I guess, but I battled away. So, I was kind of proud of the way I hung in there. It was disappointing to finish with a three putt. I threw one away there, but two over the way I played and the conditions, it was a fairly decent effort.”

He knew that he should not have been thrown by the situation, but it was the first time they had played together and he admitted to having been awe struck.

“I’ve won three times. I’ve played in front of loads of people for the last eight years, but I think it’s a little different knowing who you’re playing with,” he explained.

“I think he’s the best golfer of all time. He’s definitely the person I looked up to, so getting to play with him is pretty unique.

“I mean, I’m not going to lie. He’s a person whom I’ve seen on the range in the past and I mean, he’s almost like a mythical figure.”

Nor is Knox in any way inclined to try to demythologise this particular opponent, adding that: “I don’t want to get it out of my system.”

Which is not to say he is not out there competing with Woods, as much as he accepts for all that they chatted in the course of the round, it is not the job of an opponent to make him more comfortable.

“Of course, I settled into it and enjoyed being out there and enjoyed playing with him. That’s just a part of golf. Some days your swing feels awful, and some days it feels great. I battled through it, and tomorrow there’s a huge chance that I’m going to feel much better than I did today,” Knox observed.

“I knew it was going to be an uncomfortable round, I guess, for me. Like I was never going to feel like I was out playing with my buddies, just freewheeling it and that’s understandable. Major championship, Open in Scotland, playing with your hero, you’re never going to feel like you’re just winging it, but, no, I was overall fairly satisfied with how I did.

“He wants to beat me. I’m a threat to him. I could make him not win this tournament. So, I didn’t expect him to help me through or whatever. He’s trying to bury me by 20 shots, as I’m doing with him.”

That was pretty much confirmed when Woods was asked how he felt about having that sort of affect on opponents as he noted that: “I’m grinding, trying to figure out how to play this golf course. I’m trying to shoot the lowest round I possibly can and he’s trying to do the same thing.

“It’s nice for him to say things like that and we enjoyed playing with each other out here in Carnoustie today. Hopefully we’ll play a little bit better tomorrow.”

All of which ultimately left the impression that for all that the

Tiger aura remains, his capacity to intimidate is not quite what it once was, albeit that view could yet be challenged by what takes place over these next three days.