Exhale, Tiger Woods fan. The answer is coming. The Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National.
But until then? You already know the drill. This week alone, you’ve refreshed golf.com and twitter.com, and you’ve tracked a jet. You’ve typed in masters.com, clicked on “players,” scrolled all the way to the bottom to see if your man’s photo was there — and not listed under “past champions not playing.” Woods may have been in a car crash just over 13 months ago where he severely injured his right leg, but then you’ve seen him hit balls at the Hero, and watched him nearly win the PNC, and heard that he played a practice round this week at Augusta, and you ask yourself:
As Tiger Woods Masters hype builds, the unthinkable is becoming thinkable
Is Tiger Woods going to play the Masters?
The answer is coming. The Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National.
In all honesty, it’s quite possible Woods himself doesn’t know yet. He may announce something today or tomorrow. He may play another practice round. So in the meantime, let’s look at what we do know. After all, there are some clues.
When could Tiger Woods decide?
Theoretically, on the extreme end, Woods could say nothing ahead of time, not show up for his tee time, and he’s DQ’d. Would he do that? There’s a better chance of him winning the next four majors. The green jackets would get ruffled, and by all accounts, the current relationship between Woods and the Augusta powers-that-be is good. (Current is key here).
Still, the lack of an official announcement as of Friday night is surprising. Since his first Masters, in 1995, Woods has withdrawn due to injury three times (2014, 2016 and 2017), and each was announced no later than the Friday before the start of the tournament; in 2014, he withdrew nine days before.
In need of some hope, Tiger fan? In 2015, Woods also put out a statement — that he was playing. And that came after a practice round the Tuesday before tournament week.
Which he also did this year.
What is Tiger Woods waiting for?
Good question. But here’s a logical guess. He practiced Tuesday at Augusta National for the first time (we think) since his accident. And by all accounts (more on that below), he looked — and felt — good. But as anyone who has ever aged can tell you, the days after often hurt more. And if Woods is going to play at least two competitive days, and then two more, he’ll need to be able to show he can recover.
What has Tiger Woods told us already?
Woods has made four public appearances since his crash, along with playing his Augusta practice round, and we’ve been able to glean some update on his progress at each. Let’s review.
Up close, Tiger Woods’ press conference revealed plenty about his future
Hero World Challenge
The highlights: In December, in his first public statements since the crash, Woods said he would return to the PGA Tour. He just didn’t say when. During the tournament, he was seen hitting his entire bag on the range.
The quote: “To ramp up for a few events a year as I alluded to yesterday as [Ben] Hogan did, he did a pretty good job of it, and there’s no reason that I can’t do that and feel ready. I may not be tournament-sharp in the sense I haven’t played tournaments, but I think if you practice correctly and you do it correctly, that I’ve come off surgeries before, I’ve come off long layoffs and I’ve won or come close to winning before. So I know the recipe for it. I’ve just got to get to a point where I feel comfortable enough where I can do that again.” — Woods
The takeaway: The range sessions set the stage for the PNC Championship a couple weeks later. But read that quote again. Sounds like he was explaining the thought process behind the Augusta practice round, doesn’t it?
PNC Championship
Two soul-stirring moments defined Tiger and Charlie Woods’ week at the PNC
The highlights: The week before Christmas, Woods, with son Charlie, nearly won the pro-relative scramble event. On Friday, he played the pro-am. On Saturday, he played round one in a cart. On Sunday, he played round two in a cart, he and Charlie shot a 15-under 57, and, as GOLF’s Dylan Dethier wrote, father and son walked to the green on the 18th hole. His play could best be described as controlled — he looked Tour ready from 150 yards and in — though both days, he noticeably grimaced after shots.
The quote: “It’s frustrating when I don’t hit the ball as far as I know that I can and the shots that I see don’t come off the way I want. I hit two good shots today — well, three, they came off exactly how I wanted to. By old numbers, but as I explained to you guys down in the Bahamas, I don’t have endurance. I haven’t played. This is, what, my fourth, fifth round the entire year. I don’t have any golf endurance. It’s tiring out there, so it was a slow day. But that’s something that I’m going to have to, if I want to compete out here at the Tour level, I’m going to have to get the endurance back and hit thousands upon thousands of golf balls. Just takes time.” — Woods
The takeaway: Endurance. He said it three times in that quote above. Does he have it now, a little over three months later?
Genesis Invitational
At Tiger Woods’ tournament, he provides an inside look at his future
The highlights: In February, Woods hosted the Genesis Invitational, and though he was not seen hitting balls like he did at the Hero, he was pressed again on his progress, both in his pre-tournament press conference, and in an interview on CBS during the third round. He was also asked about the Masters. Let’s hear those exchanges again.
Pre-tournament press conference exchange:
Question: “Tiger, do you think you’ll be able to walk at the par-3 tournament and is that a short-term goal that you have?”
Woods: “I can walk the par 3.”
Question: “At the Masters?”
Woods: “Well, I can walk that now.”
Question: “You can?”
Woods: “I’m talking about playing golf. That’s a practice round, that’s a pro-am day, or if it’s a major, it’s a practice round day, it’s 12 rounds. It’s the competitive nature, how much that takes out of you mentally, physically, emotionally. I haven’t prepared for any of that. Going for a walk, I can do that. Am I going to be sore? Hell, yeah, but I can do that.”
Question: “In April, is that something you’re thinking of doing?”
Woods: “I can do that now. Whether I do that or not, I don’t know.”
‘I don’t want to come out here and just play’: Tiger Woods gives hint to return
CBS exchange:
“Augusta, any shot that you would play the Masters this year?” CBS’ Jim Nantz asked.
“I don’t know,” Woods said.
“So it’s still a possibility?” Nantz said.
“I’ll be there Tuesday,” Woods said, referring to the Champions Dinner.
“You’ll be there Tuesday,” Nantz said.
“It’ll be a great dinner,” Woods said. “I don’t know what kind of sushi we’re going to have.”
“Wednesday is the Par-3,” Nantz said. “That is something that I would think that you would be capable of playing.”
“I can play that kind of stuff,” Woods said.
“So we’ll see you there?” Nantz said.
“Hey, Jimmy, slow down, turbo. Slow down,” Woods said.
Takeaway: Woods confirmed he’ll be on the grounds at Augusta. He was agitated when asked for more.
Hall of Fame induction
Tiger Woods finally wrote his own story — with help from his daughter Sam
The highlights: At his World Golf Hall of Fame induction last month, Woods spoke unscripted. But if we’re gauging his status for the Masters, note this: He walked into the ceremony without the protective sleeve he had been wearing on his surgically repaired right leg.
The quote: “I mean, how can a guy who still FaceTimes his friends to discuss Marvel and DC timelines and who goes to Comic-Con dressed as Batman be one of the greatest golfers that ever lived?” This was from his daughter, Sam, during her introduction speech. Yes, it has nothing to do with the Masters. But yes, it’s also great.
Takeaway: The Masters is less than a month away.
Tuesday’s practice round
Tiger Woods practices at Augusta National ahead of the Masters, fueling speculation
The highlights: Woods flew into Augusta, Ga., played an 18-hole practice round at Augusta National with son Charlie and world No. 7 Justin Thomas and flew out.
The quote: We’ll get to those in a minute.
Takeaway: Woods reportedly looked good. But as mentioned above, how did he look — and feel — Wednesday, Thursday and Friday?
How did he look at the practice round?
McIlroy was also at Augusta National on Tuesday, and he told Golf Channel’s Kira K. Dixon that Woods told him he was wanting to see “what’s going to happen here.”
A portion of the interview is below:
Why wouldn’t he play?
If McIlroy sounded optimistic, former player Brad Faxon took a more pessimistic tone, telling SiriusXM PGA Tour radio that he believed the odds of Woods playing were “a little less than” 50 percent. “I want to see this guy tee it up on Thursday,” Faxon said. “But I don’t think Tiger just does it to make people happy. I think he wants to do so he can be in one of those last few groups on Sunday afternoon and have a chance and feel good doing it.”
A portion of the interview is below:
So will Tiger Woods play the Masters?
The answer is coming. The Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National.
But for what it’s worth, I don’t think he does. Faxon is right. Woods will come back, and when he does, it won’t be to shoot 75-75. And at the PNC, he didn’t appear ready to walk Augusta. Why did he practice? He tried to play. Nothing more.
But if I’m wrong, it’s one hell of a story.
