‘Warts and all’ book could cast shadow on Tiger’s new chapter

TIGER WOODS can scarcely believe that when he tees off in the first round of the Masters in 11 days he will deservedly be ranked among the favourites.

‘If you’d offered me that position back in December when I started playing again, I’d have taken that in a heartbeat,’ he said.

Not even an unflattering ‘warts and all’ biography coming out on Tuesday can dampen the excitement surrounding Woods’ comeback.

Unsure in December how his back would withstand the rigours of competition following fusion surgery, the 42-year-old has progressed to the point where he had a chance to win at each of his last two starts in Florida.

‘I think you can see that I’m pretty close now to putting it all together again,’ he told ESPN last week. ‘It’s like riding a bike — only a new bike. I’m still figuring my limitations but I’ve come a long way from spending four to six months where I had to be helped out of bed. I’d have some days where I couldn’t stand even if I was helped, and would just fall to the floor.’

He’s certainly on his feet now, as he looks forward to a first competitive round at Augusta for over 1,000 days, stretching back to his appearance in 2015, when he finished tied 17th.

‘It’s been very tough the last couple of years coming to the Champions Dinner and not being able to play,’ admitted Woods. ‘There’s no other tournament in the world like it. It’s a golf course I love and it’s one I know I can play. It is a players’ heaven and it’s going to be fun to get back out there again.’

After a run of four events in five weeks, Woods (right) offered an upbeat assessment on how his back coped.

‘I’m solid as a rock there now,’ he said. ‘The difference is I don’t have the same range of motion. I’m stiffer there, and I need longer to warm up.’

Woods isn’t ruling out what would arguably be the most dramatic victory at Augusta since he turned up, literally half his lifetime ago, in 1997 and won by 12 shots at the age of 21.

‘We’ve seen a few older guys win the Masters over the years, so why not?’ he said. ‘But the bottom line is I’m just ecstatic to be going there with any sort of chance. I’m at the stage where I’ve just got to enjoy it whatever happens, because playing at a high level again didn’t look remotely possible for the longest time.’ One thing that might lessen his enjoyment is the new biography. Woods doesn’t come out of it well, and his father Earl even less so. No one will be talking about that, though, next week when the hype over Tiger’s comeback truly reaches overdrive.