TIGER WOODS

could wait until the last possible moment before deciding whether he is up to playing at The Masters.

It would be no surprise if he turned up, tried his game out in practice, evaluated the state of his back and then decided.

As a former winner, he is not depriving anyone else of a place in the field at Augusta. He has the liberty to take as long as he needs.

It’s inconceivable to think he could contend. Simply playing four rounds would be a success.

The course offers a bit more leeway to errant tee shots than most PGA Tour venues and he knows the greens so well.

Plus, the field is much smaller and therefore making the cut more attainable. So, all these circumstances might persuade Tiger to play at Augusta, if his back allows.