TIGER WOODS, playing his first tournament since his electrifying Masters triumph, picked up right where he left off yesterday with a win.

Woods carded a closing 68 for a 17-under total of 263 and a two-stroke victory over bee Rinker in the $1.8 million Byron Nelson Classic in Dallas, Texas.

Woods started slow and lost a stroke on the third hole when he hit a three wood into the water. He birdied the seventh, where he chipped on to the green and holed a 10-foot putt.

He saved par on the 447-yard 10th hole when he knocked in a nine-iron after hitting into the bunker. He birdied 12 and added a five-foot putt for birdie on 16.

"At Augusta, I was hitting the ball pretty good," said Woods. "Not the case today. My short game bailed me out. I wasn't in a flow."

Since turning pro, Woods has won five times in 16 PGA events. He is the second-youngest player to win that many, trailing only Horton Smith, who won his fifth event at 20 years, 10 months and one day.

"Winning like this means a lot. If you think well and have a short game, you can win a lot out here," added Woods.

Rinker, who started the day two shots back, birdied the first hole and gained the lead with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes. Woods tied him with his birdie on 12 and Rinker fell off the top of the leaderboard when he missed an eight-foot par putt at 15.

"When I birdied seven, I knew I was leading the tournament," said Rinker, who recorded his second runner-up finish but is still winless on the Tour. "I tried not to watch the boards. I didn't know how he (Woods) stood until I signed my card."

Tom Watson and Dan Forsman shared third place, four shots back.