Another Masters moment beckons Woods
Tiger Woods has produced a collection of magical feats at the US Masters but the 14-times Major champion has set the stage for what could be one of golf’s greatest moments as he takes his comeback to Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday.
After long battles with back issues and many false starts, the 42-year-old Woods returns to stately Augusta for the first time since 2015. Despite playing just a handful of tournaments, he arrives at the first Major of 2018 as one of the hot favourites to claim the coveted green jacket.
“This is a little bit like a Lazarus resurrection here with respect to where he was,” World Golf Foundation CEO Steve Mona said. “Only last September he was talking about whether he would be able to come back at all. Now he is the favourite at the Masters. It is just astonishing.
“He is certainly in form. I don’t think anyone would be terribly surprised if he were in the hunt. I would not count him out just based on what we have seen from him in the last three events. It is not outside the realm of possibility that he could do it and what a tremendous story that would be.”
A year ago Woods appeared to be closer to a sad end rather than a new beginning to his storied career. He had not won a Major since the 2008 US Open and was missing the Masters for a second consecutive year.
His back, which had caused him so much pain, was getting no better despite numerous surgeries and treatments, as the former world No 1 dropped out of the top 1,000 of the world rankings. Even the positive Woods seemed resigned to a dour fate. Yet after undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April the dark clouds hanging over Woods began to lift.
Shaking off years of competitive rust, he returned with an encouraging tie for ninth at the Hero World Challenge, followed by a tie for 23rd at the Farmers Insurance Open and a missed cut at the Genesis Open.
Then, suddenly, Woods grabbed the spotlight as only he can, announcing his return to form with three impressive results: a 12th at the Honda Classic, a tie for second at the Valspar Championship and a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament.
“If you would have asked me at the beginning of the year that I would have had a chance to win two golf tournaments, I would have taken that in a heart beat,” said Woods after his final round at the Arnold Palmer, his final tune-up for the Masters. “If I can play with no pain and I can feel like I can make golf swings I’ll figure it out.”
Those results have generated a buzz around the 2018 Masters as Tiger-mania again washes over the golf world.
With Woods back in the hunt television ratings have soared, along with expectations. Like the fans, his fellow golfers have taken notice. “It’s obviously been a big impact,” said the 2017 champion, Sergio Garcia. “We all know what kind of player he is and what kind of player he can be when he’s healthy,” said the Spaniard.