Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, USA – April 4, 2022 Tiger Woods shot his T-shot during a practice round REUTERS / Jonathan Arnst in the 8th T.
Tigermania returned to Augusta National in full force on Monday after a caged Tiger Woods golf world speculated whether he would be on the Masters field.
A glimpse of the 15-time major winner has gone to overdrive the Woods watch at the Augusta National Audience Watch, which has kept fans in suspense, saying on Sunday that participating in his Masters would be a “game-time decision”.
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3 pic.twitter.com/pNw0F54WTL– PGA Tour (@PGATOR) April 4, 2022
While Woods didn’t say anything on Monday, fans won’t have to wait any longer to hear the 46-year-old’s decision to hold a press conference on Tuesday with the release of the first-round T-Times on Thursday.
After two years of Covid-19 restrictions that limited the number of spectators on the field, galleries returned, and similarly, the Augusta National buzz was further fueled by seeing Woods performing at the fairway.
The car crash that threatened Woods’ right leg 14 months ago and kept him in hospital for three weeks and then confined to a hospital bed at home for three months seemed a distant misfortune in a perfect Monday picture.
Nine hole games during an afternoon practice with good friends Fred Kapoles and Justin Thomas, a comfortable Woods was not the look of a man struggling to make a decision.
Rather, he got the air of self-confidence from someone who made up his mind to stay in the first T on Thursday.
When Woods was tight, one of his game partners was sure what would happen on Thursday.
“I hope everything goes on Tuesday and Wednesday and I’m sure he’s going to do it on Thursday,” the couple said. “It’s not surprising because he’s the best player of all time.”
“If he can get around the 72 holes here, he’ll fight. She is OK. “
Woods has always maintained that he enters every event with a winning mentality, and his fellow golfers say that not even returning from a career-threatening injury has changed that approach.
“The impressive thing is that Tiger won’t play here unless he thinks he can win,” said Padrig Harrington, a three-time major winner. “He’s not coming to rock the crowd.”
“He’s coming to try to win the tournament.”
“It looks like he’s going to survive, and if he does, he’ll win, and that’s impressive.”
The first tournament
Woods, who was remarkably sexually active at the end of the nine holes, would be the first official tournament after defending his title at the 2020 Masters if committed to play, which was played in November due to COVID-19.
Woods is obviously as happy to be back to play as Monday’s excitement has been surpassed by fans.
Woods won the last of his five green jackets in 2019.
On Monday they lined the entire length of the fairway and were packed 10 to 15 deeply around the greens, a cheerful woods attracting attention as the cheer echoes through the Georgian pines.
“It’s history,” one fan shouted at another, “Go Tiger, go Tiger.”
His rivals are not denying Woods participation or even winning him a sixth green jacket.
Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion from Australia, said: “I’ve learned long ago never to doubt a man.” “It’s exciting that he has the potential to play this week.”
“I really hope he does. I don’t think it will matter, it will just be an epic. “
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