Tiger roaring as Masters arrives

Just so we have this straight: Phil Mickelson heads to Augusta National having won for the first time in five years. Rory McIlroy arrives in search of the career Grand Slam after a scintillating final-round 64 at Bay Hill. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson has won twice since Valentine’s Day. Jason Day chopped down the field at Torrey Pines. Dustin Johnson last week uncorked a drive of 489 yards. Justin Thomas came within a few swings of supplanting Johnson as the world No. 1.

And golf’s most popular player — the most intriguing person in all of sports, arguably — is among the betting favorites less than a year after spinal fusion surgery and rehab for prescription painkillers.

Is this real life?

“I’ve never seen so many stars of the sport having their A-games going into Augusta,” Jim Nantz said. “This is the probably the most anticipated Masters any of us has seen in our lifetime.”

Nantz will call his 33rd straight for CBS Sports, which is enhancing its weekend telecasts by adding shot-tracing technology on five holes — Nos. 9, 10, 13, 15 and 18. (ESPN has the ThursdayFriday rights, as usual.)

Nantz, ever the historian, noted that of the five players to complete the career Grand Slam, only Gene Sarazen did it at Augusta National. No video exists of his 1935 triumph, so McIlroy could break ground. That story, Nantz said, would be 1A.

And numero uno?

Tiger Woods.

Late last year his odds were 100-1 to win the Masters, which would be his first major victory since the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Now books are taking action at 10-1, about even with McIlroy, Thomas and Johnson. (Defending champion Sergio Garcia is around 25-1.)

Woods’ last three results: 12th at the Honda Classic, a tie for second at the Valspar Championship in Tampa, Fla., and T-5 at Bay Hill. And his consistency has been incredible — all 12 rounds between 67-72. And 10 between 68-71.

“If he wins, it would be one of the epic moments in the history of the sport,” Nantz said. “To have him back in Butler Cabin would truly be one of the all-time scripts. And this is an event that has an amazing ability to produce these Hollywood-quality stories, including Sergio winning on Seve (Ballesteros’) 60th birthday. You walk away most years with your head spinning: How in the world did this happen? How did serendipity present itself again at Augusta National?

“This would be as grand a scale as Jack (Nicklaus) in ‘86, I really believe that.”

But is it feasible? Woods, 42, won the last of his four green jackets in 2005, but he was getting sized up in other years. From 2006-13, he finished in the top four six times. In 2015, he missed the cut in three majors — but went T17 at Augusta.

“He is definitely healthy enough and fit enough,” said CBS analyst Nick Faldo, a three-time Masters winner. “How has he managed to find 3-4-5 miles an hour more in his swing in his 40s? He has worked his butt off, I’m sure.

“When he came to the tower (in 2016) and sat on the chair for 45 minutes, he was in agony, absolute agony. He could hardly get out of a golf cart at the (2016) Ryder Cup. He was in pain . he has found this amazing mobility.”

Woods has been horrid off the tee this season, hitting 51.6 percent of fairways. That ranks 202nd on tour — though still 10 spots higher than Mickelson.

But Woods is seventh in strokes gained, which measures putting prowess. And — knock on pine straw — his chip yips are gone.

“Does he have the nerve?” Faldo asked. “Majors are different.

“If he can find the nerve, it would be unbelievable - the greatest comeback in sports, let alone golf.”

Stephen M. Dowell / Orlando Sentinel With the way Tiger Woods has played in recent weeks, he looks poised to be a contender at this week’s Masters.