A SIXTH green jacket is well within reach for Tiger Woods ... the golf legend got off to a blazing hot start at the Masters -- and is now currently tied for 4th after finishing his 1st round!
44-year-old Tiger shot a super stress-free 68 -- carding zero bogies and four birdies -- and he now trails the leader, Paul Casey, by just three strokes heading into Day 2.
"That's the best I've seen him play in a long time," said golf superstar Michelle Wie, who commentated on Woods' entire round for ESPN on Thursday morning.