SWINGING SIXTIES

Woods: I can be challenger for decades to come

TIGER WOODS claims he can be a contender at the Masters for another 20 years.

The American, 44, begins the defence of his “most emotional” Major title tomorrow.

And he had to choke back the tears in his pre-tournament press conference yesterday as he recalled his fairytale victory in April last year.

But on the 25th anniversary of his Masters debut, the world No.33 insisted he is not yet ready to become a ceremonial golfer.

He cited 1992 champion Freddie Couples, who he played a practice round with on Monday, as living proof that experience is golden around Augusta National. “Do I expect to contend? Yes, I do,” Woods said. “You look at Freddie and Bernhard (Langer), they are in their sixties and seem to contend. Jack contended here when he was 56 or 58.

“It can be done. This is a golf course in which having an understanding how to play and where to miss it and how to hit the shots here helps. The golf course keeps getting longer. It gets a little bit more difficult as I’ve gotten older and I don’t quite hit it as far.

“But still understanding how to play it definitely helps. That’s one of the reasons you see past champions able to contend so late in their careers, and hopefully I’ ll be one of those guys.” Woods made history and defied expectations by winning his 15th Major title last year after multiple back and knee operations.

And his embrace of his son Charlie at the 72nd brought back memories of b eing greeted by his father Earl in 1997.

“I’m still getting chills just thinking about it,” he said. “It meant a lot to me and still does. It just reminded me so much of me and my dad, and to come full circle like that, it stills gets me a little teary.

“Last year was more emotional in a different way just because of the struggles I’ve had and I had never, ever won a Major coming from behind.”