Woods, Mickelson reach an accord at Augusta

AUGUSTA, GA. » Tiger Woods’ previous two Masters began and ended with the champions’ dinner Tuesday night. Neither cleansed his palate. In 2016, he and Jack Nicklaus physically guided Arnold Palmer into the room, and Woods took him to his seat. Palmer was five months from death. Clearly it was his Last Supper at Augusta and it troubled Woods, who had won Palmer’s Bay Hill event eight times.

In 2017, Woods squirmed during Danny Willett’s repast. He had not yet had his spinal fusion operation. Here Tuesday, he described the nerve feeling “on fire, like it was going down my leg and just burning.” He returned to Florida both times before the Masters started.

“There were dark, dark times,” Woods said. “Falling because of my leg. Lying on the ground.for an extended period of time. In hindsight, it was a big pipe dream, to think I could play here. My back was fried.”

Now Tiger is back, dreaming again with more foundation. He is 42, a survivor of four knee operations, four back operations, and one of the most public personal unravelings in history, certainly in golf history.

Winning a fifth Masters, right here and now, is no longer the only acceptable outcome for Tiger. It also wouldn’t surprise him.

He does seem radically different, slower to snap, no longer in a 3-point stance. He admitted Tuesday he and Phil Mickelson realize they are “at the tail end of our careers.” The fact he would even acknowledge Mickelson as something more than a speed bump is a new thing, too. They even played a practice round Tuesday as partners, soaking Thomas Pieters and Fred Couples.

“It was a nice appearance fee,” Woods said, with a satisfied grin.

“We partnered up pretty well,” Mickelson said. “He eagled 13 and 15, and I threw some birdies in there. We were nine-under through a seven-hole stretch.”

Woods mocked Mickelson’s long-sleeved shirt, saying it only needed a tie. It’s been ten years since Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton ignored the advice of his assistant, Jackie Burke, and paired the two oil-and-water rivals, with disastrous results.

Now the two appreciate each other, almost the way Palmer and Nicklaus did. Who knows? They might be building toward 2038, and the ceremonial first drive

Thursday morning.

“We’ve been competing a long time, the better part of 20 years,” Woods said.

“I was rooting for him so far at Valspar (the Tampa PGA Tour event) that I was almost in a different time continuum,” Mickelson said. “I’ve had a respect and admiration for what he’s done for the game, and I’ve benefited more than anyone else.”

Injury provided the thaw. Woods was a nonplaying vice-captain on Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. The young players who had used him as a lodestar learned about his humor and wisdom, “my sharp needle,” as Woods said. Mickelson and Woods ditched their bayonets.

“Phil was great when I was hurt,” Woods said. “He was always saying, ‘How can I help?’ I see him trying those flop shots with that 64-degree drive and it almost looks like it’s backwards. You almost expect him to hit himself (with the ball). He had one today that was just silly.

“He’s always had great belief in himself. That’s why he tries the shot he tries because he believes he can pull them off.”

Which is what should we believe about Woods, who hasn’t led a Masters round since he won his fourth jacket in 2005. But Woods finished 12th, second and fifth in his past three tournaments, all on Florida flatland, and was 19-under-par in his past two.

It seems likely he has big wins left. It is just as obvious that today’s stars are no more intimidated by his presence than a 21-year-old Woods was by Faldo and Colin Montgomerie.

Would that change on a contending Sunday here, in front of fans who save their most desperate cheers for the historic?

“Prior to the fusion surgery, I thought I’d have a nice, comfortable, great life,” Woods said. “But I’ll never be able to swing the club with the speed I used to. For some reason, I’ve found the speed again. It’s shocking.