Tiger getting Augusta agog
TIGER Woods yesterday found himself installed as second favourite behind world No1 Dustin Johnson by some bookmakers to win next month’s Masters on the back of his runners-up finish at the Valspar Championship.
Nostalgia, romanticism and collective blind spots can contribute to warped thinking among fans and even fellow players but cold-hearted bookies do not tend to suffer from such afflictions.
The prospect of a fifth Green Jacket for Woods has moved from fantasy to reality.
He may not quite have closed out his 80th PGA Tour win on Sunday but the man who denied him by a stroke – Paul Casey – saw enough to convince him that, at 42, a rebuilt Woods, whose career was saved by spinal fusion surgery last April, will be a factor in the season’s first Major.
“I’m amazed at Tiger’s clubhead speed this week, it was absolutely outstanding,” said Casey.
“I’m excited to see him play. I just so want the young guys to see what we saw for such a long time. It would be really, really cool.” Woods could plot his way around Augusta National in his sleep. As well as his roll call of wins, he also has nine top 10 finishes at the Masters. That has never been in doubt.
But the positive answers to the questions over his fitness in 2018 and form at Innisbrook indicate it is time now to begin to think of Woods as a Major winner-in-waiting once more.
“I’m seeing the normal Tiger, the Tiger I’ve known for 24 years,” said Ernie Els.
“The Tiger that was not quite the same guy was because of the injuries – it must have been so disappointing to him. Now, he’s swinging hard, he’s swinging with confidence.”
Woods’ return as a contender is drawing eyeballs back to golf. The viewing figures in the US for the Valspar Championship were the highest PGA Tour ratings for almost 12 years. The pull if he was in the shake-up on Sunday evening at Augusta would be black hole-like. Woods’ own assessment is that his game remains a work in progress – but he likes the shape of the graph. He is moving through the gears as he prepares to tee it up again at this week’s Arnold Palmer Championship at Bay Hill.
“I believe my game is progressing. I had some really nice building blocks a couple weeks ago at Honda and I’ve had a few tweaks for this week and it paid off,” he said.
“My game was quite solid this entire week. As a whole I felt very good about what I did. I had a good shot at winning this tournament. A couple of putts here and there and it would have been a different story.”
Woods sent the place wild with a 45ft birdie putt at the 17th to pull within a shot of Casey but could not repeat the dose from 35ft at the last.
Casey was delighted to have spoiled the storyline and denied Woods what would have been his first win for five years but after being congratulated by the 14-time Major winner, let on even he was almost rooting for Woods.
“I actually thought he was going to win today before the round started. I thought it was just teed up beautifully for him,” said Casey. “I said a couple times if I don’t win this thing I actually want Tiger to win it.”
For Woods it was both confirmation he is on the right track in the here and now and an invigorating spool back to the glory days – and he loved it.
“Wow, what an amazing week... people, atmosphere, adrenaline, back nine on Sunday,” he tweeted. “Man, I’ve missed this.” ●LATEST William Hill odds for The Masters, which starts on April 5: 8-1 Dustin Johnson, 10-1 Jordan Speith, Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, 14-1 Rory McIlroy, 16-1 Jason Day, 18-1 Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, 20-1 Bar.