Georgia on his mind

AUGUSTA IS AMAZING MEMORY FOR TIGER

TIGER WOODS will be allowed to hang on to his Green Jacket for longer than most Masters champions thanks to Covid-19 – and perhaps that is fitting given his achievement 12 months ago.

Woods will finally take golf’s most precious garment back to Augusta National some time in late autumn – if the 2020 tournament can eventually be played.

But for now, as the defending champion, he can keep it for a few more months.

For Woods, the delay is timely given the back issues which interrupted his early season. He was badly short on competitive golf and would have been pretty ring-rusty.

Still, since when have normal rules applied to Woods? From his first Masters win at 21, through the Terminator phase of his prime, to the self-destruction and resurrection he has been a golfer and a sportsman apart.

Even by his standards, though, Augusta last year was something extraordinary as he won his fourth Masters 14 years on from his third, amid head-spinning scenes.

Woods watched the final round of his fourth Masters victory back in full a month afterwards with caddie Joe LaCava and laughed as he saw even Michael Phelps transfixed.

The Olympic swimming great was picked up by the cameras watching slack-jawed from behind the ropes at the 16th tee as Woods’ eight-iron approach dribbled down the slope to within two feet of the pin to set up victory.

“To see the reaction and Michael leaning in and basically bending over in the same position that I was in was pretty cool,” said Woods.

“It was kind of fun to sit back and listen to the broadcast and hear their take on it.

“We hear the roars. We hear the birdies that

are being made. We have the signage that people pop up to say what they have done – we just don’t know how they did it.

“The fun part was reliving that from a totally different perspective.”

Woods had trailed leader Francesco Molinari by a shot overnight and pressed the pedal to the floor with that birdie at 16 putting him two clear with two holes to play.

He finished the job at the final hole to trigger an emotional embrace with his children Charlie and Sam by the green.

It even melted the iceman when he tried to talk about it through tears afterwards.

“For them to see what it’s like to have their dad win a Major championship – I hope that’s something they will never forget,” added Woods.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have done it four previous times, but last year was amazing.

“It’s crazy how it all came together for one week, one magical week.”