Betting on Tiger in the Masters

I Monday, f Tiger Woods wins the Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill ending on

I won’t be surprised. Because Woods finished a fighting second last week at Valspar, the momentum could be on his side?

Paul Casey had deflected Woods’ comeback win, fine.

Winless for nine years, Casey, 40, had actually won it by 2-1/2 feet—the distance that Woods’ sudden death-sending putt had stopped before the cup, from 40 feet on 18.

Earlier on 17, Woods banged home a 45-footer to come to within a shot off Casey.

But give Casey credit, too. To pull it out of the fire, Casey putted just 21 times in his final round 65.

Woods’ club speed has increased to an astonishing 122.5mph, second in the PGA Tour behind Keith Mitchell’s 123.9 mph average. Woods registered 129.2 mph in the Valspar third round— the fastest this season.

That could only mean Woods, 42, and four majors short of Jack Nicklaus’ all-time best 18, has become fitter, stronger, than anyone could have imagined.

The Palmer Invitational is a Woods’ favorite; he has won it eight times.

I wrote this after Round 1, after Woods had carved out a 4-under-par 68 behind six birdies, including a 71-footer on 7.

Woods was four shots behind Swede Henrik Stenson in only his fourth start since recovering from fusion surgery and a fourth back operation over a three-year period.

Before play began at Bay Hill, the 14-time majors winner Woods said: “I’m very excited. It’s a golf course I like. I’ve played well here through the years and just haven’t been back in a couple of years. Nice to be back.”

He’s more than back.

And if he had not snagged win No. 9 at Bay Hill, fine. There’s the Masters next month, where he will chase a fifth Green Jacket.

Already, he is third in Las Vegas bets to win it, behind Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas, respectively.

Before his second-place finish at Valspar, Woods, 79 PGA Tour wins across his name, was 12th in the Honda Classic.

His last majors win was in 2008, beating Rocco Mediate in a US Open playoff despite a bad leg that would eventually undergo three surgeries.

Now healthy both in body and in mind, Woods has my Masters money on him next month. I can feel it coming—finally?