Tiger Woods now 15-1 favorite for 2018 Masters after opening at 100-1

— -- NASSAU, Bahamas -- Tiger Woods hasn't played in a major championship in more than two years, but there's still intense betting interest in him.

After Woods shot 31 on his opening nine holes Friday at the Hero World Challenge, his odds to win the Masters dropped to 15-1, according to the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook.?

"You know, I guess they've just got to come up with some kind of story,'' said Woods, competing this week for the first time in 10 months and just the fourth time in the past year.

Woods, 41, has won the Masters four times. He tied for 17th in his last appearance at Augusta National in 2015. But he missed the cut at the U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship that year.

He shot 68 during the second round here Friday and is tied for fifth place, five shots back of leader Charley Hoffman.

In August, Woods opened at 100-1 odds to win the Masters in April, and he was 50-1 prior to the Hero. His odds dropped to 25-1 after the first round here, when he shot 69, and then 15-1 after he eagled the ninth hole Friday to briefly tie for the lead.

"I just wanted to go out there and play, compete,'' Woods said. "I didn't know what to expect because I hadn't played. I hadn't competed. I haven't had a fused back before in my life. These are all new things.''

Jordan Spieth (7-1) and Dustin Johnson (9-1) are among the golfers currently ahead of Woods in 2018 Masters odds.?