In his first PGA Tour appearance in seven months, Tiger Woods birdied the final three holes to card a 2-under-par 69 in the first round of the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.

Favoring his right ankle as he made his way around Riviera Country Club, the 47-year-old Woods held his own playing in a threesome with golf buddies Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy finished the first round at 4-under, with Thomas at 3-under.

“It was a great round,” Woods said. “The ebb and flow of needling each other, encouraging each other and telling stories. Because I hadn’t been out here, so I’ve missed some of the things that have transpired on Tour, which is kind of fun.”

The needling included a surreptitious handoff from Woods to Thomas as they walked off the tee on the Par-4 ninth. It turned out Woods gave Thomas a tampon after outdriving the former Alabama All-American by 10 yards on the hole.

Thomas is playing in his fifth PGA Tour event this season. The 15-time Tour winner and two-time major champion is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday, his best showing so far this season.

At Alabama, Thomas was the National Player of the Year in 2012 and a member of the Crimson Tide’s national championship team in 2013.

Max Homa and Keith Mitchell are tied for the first-round lead in the Genesis Invitational at 7-under 64.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.