IS TIGER’S BACK?

When in mid-March, Rory McIlroy lifted the trophy from the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Masters Card at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, many of the eyes were still looking the other way, where Tiger Woods chatted leisurely. It’s true Rory has not won on the PGA Tour since 2016 (the last win was the Tour Championship in Atlanta, which gave him the victory in the FedEx Cup), but Woods had not played this golf for many, many years. A few weeks from the Masters, the former world number one, has surprised by the consistency and confidence of his game. He was fifth in Florida - a tournament that won four times - and most importantly he walked in the last round with only a stroke from the lead. The previous week, the Tiger was second in the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, closing the tournament a stroke behind of the winner, the Englishman Paul Casey. On the 18th green, Woods narrowly missed a 20-meter putt that would force the play-off. At 42, with four surgeries on the back in 2016 and 2017, the question is whether the living legend of world golf will be able to return to winning ways. He who has won 79 times in the PGA, has not won any trophy since 2013, precisely at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Quando a meio de Março, Rory McIlroy levantou o treoféu do Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Masters Card, no Bay Hill Club & Lodge, em Orlando, Florida, muitos dos olhos estavam ainda a olhar para o outro lado, onde Tiger Woods conversava des contra ida men te. É que, se Rory já não ganhava na PGA Tour desde 2016, quando venceu o Tour Championship em Atlanta, que lhe valeu a vitória na FedEx Cup, Woods já não apresentava este golfe há muitos, muitos anos. Apouc as semanas do Ma ste rs,o anti gonúmero um mu nd ial,t ems ur preen did opel ac ons istênc ia econfiança do seu jogo. Foi quinto classificado na Florida – um torneio que venceu quatro vezes –, e mais importante andou na última volta a uma pancada da liderança. Na semana anterior, o norte-americano foi segundo no Val spar Championship, em Palm Harbor, fe chan doot or ne io au map an ca dad oven ce dor,oinglês Paul Casey. No green do 18, Woods por pouco não fazia um putt de 20 metros que forçaria o play-off. Aos 42 anos, e com quatro operações às costas em 2016 e 2017 ,adúvidaésa ber seal end aviv ado golf emu n dial va iconsegu ir regress aràsvitórias.E le quejáv en c eu 79 vezes na PGA, não conquista qualquer troféu desde 2013, precisamente no Arnold Palmer Invitational