TIGER’S GREATEST VICTORY
. . . if five-time champion Woods tees up on Thursday 14 months after horror crash BUTCH HARMON EXCLUSIVE
TIGER WOODS teeing up at the Masters will be an even bigger achievement than his fairytale triumph in 2019 – according to his former coach Butch Harmon.
And the swing guru claimed the American superstar will not play this week unless he believes he can win a record-equalling sixth Green Jacket.
Woods, 46, is still hoping to return to top-level golf 14 months after his horrific car crash last February.
He will also be celebrating the 25th anniversary of his stunning 12-shot first Masters triumph in 1997.
Woods finished tied fourth at the tournament in 2010 in his first event after a sex scandal then won his 15th Major after an 11-year gap in 2019. But Harmon, who helped Woods to his first eight Major victories, said merely competing again at Augusta will top the lot.
“This guy is amazing,” said the Sky Sports expert.
“It’s truly amazing the things that he has come back from. It’s just mind-boggling.
“And if he could pull this one off – even if he doesn’t win, say he plays and he plays respectably, makes the cut, maybe gets in the hunt a little – I think it would probably even bigger than when he came back and won in 2019.
“Consider the severity of his traffic wreck. It’s amazing he’s still alive, much less that he is able to play. That wreck looked terrible.
“When we first saw the accident, we were happy that he lived.
“And secondly, when we read about how shattered his right leg was, would he ever even be able to walk and carry on a normal life?
“But you can never say never with Tiger Woods.
“He will always prove you wrong.
“He has this tremendous will to survive no matter what it is.
“I think we learned that the last time. I, for one, never thought he would win another tournament again – much less another Major. Nothing surprises you about the guy.”
Harmon, 78, will be back at Augusta for the first time since Woods’ 2019 triumph after he commentated on the last two Masters from his Las Vegas home because of the pandemic.
Now he reckons Woods, who defended his Masters title in his last appearance on the PGA Tour in November 2020, is going back to the state of Georgia to make more history.
Harmon (below) added: “Tiger has always said if he doesn’t feel he can be competitive, he wouldn’t play. I just don’t think that’s his nature. I don’t think he’s gonna show up to shoot 78-78.
“So if he does show up and play, I think we have to believe he thinks he can get it done.
“He is the modern-day Greatest of All Time that has the X factor. Now we’re all just sitting on the edge of our seats to find out even if he’s just gonna play.
“He’s Tiger Woods.
That’s who he is.
“That’s what he does.”