Couples: Woods looks even better in practice

AUGUSTA, Ga. — For the second time in the past three days, Fred Couples had a frontrow seat to the Tiger Woods Comeback Show at Augusta National, playing nine more holes with him Wednesday in Woods’ final prep before Thursday’s Masters opening round. And, as rave as the reviews were after the two played alongside Justin Thomas on Monday, the 62-year-old Couples had more glowing things to say about Woods’ game as he makes his remarkable comeback to competitive golf fewer than 14 months removed from the car crash that nearly cost him his leg.

“He looked the exact same, maybe a little better, a little sharper,” Couples said of Woods, comparing Monday

to Wednesday. “Tiger is Tiger. I said it on Monday that he’s not like a lot of us where I’ve been injured even at age 35 and I go play just to play. He’s not going to do that. He’s won so many times, and he’s just not a guy to go do something mediocre. He’ll compete, and he’ll be ready to roll.”

Asked about the pain Woods is playing with, Couples said, “He plays in lots of pain lots of times. It’s amazing he’s here. We all know that. But the pain he has sometimes is a lot more, but he’s younger and you get used to the pain.”

Couples said, after a lot of laughing and joking on Monday, Woods’ demeanor on Wednesday was more serious and focused.

“He doesn’t want to play [just] to play,” Couples said. “He can play at home. He can enjoy his kids, play with them every single day and have the time of his life.”

Couples said Woods “hit a great iron on 1,” and on No. 13 he “hooked it around the corner.

“He’s Tiger Woods, so I’m not worried about watching him hit a ball ever because he’s the best player I’ve ever seen play. It’s a miraculous thing … 14 months ago [after his accident] I’m bawling like a baby every day, and now you pair with him and he looks strong.”