Tiger Woods CONFIRMS he is heading to Augusta for Masters as he takes another step towards sensational comeback
TIGER WOODS took a step closer to a sensational return to action as he headed back to Augusta yesterday, promising a “game time” decision on whether he will play in the Masters.
But the odds seem stacked in favour of him competing.
Woods did not set up camp in Augusta on Sunday just to prepare for Tuesday’s Champions Dinner, and the Par Three contest the following day.
Tiger has not played a competitive round for more than 500 days, and admitted he was lucky to be alive after suffering horrendous leg injuries when he crashed his car in Los Angeles 14 months ago.
But the 15 time Major champion sent the golfing world into a frenzy by turning up out of the blue to play a practice round at Augusta last Tuesday, with son Charlie and former world No 1 Justin Thomas.
He took to Twitter yesterday to deliver an update to his 6.6million followers – and to countless millions more golf fans praying he will be back in action for the first time since the final round of the 2020 Masters, on November 15.
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Woods wrote: “I will be heading up to Augusta today to continue my preparation and practice. It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete.”
Woods, 46, did play in the PGA Tour’s Father and Son Challenge in December, finishing second alongside Charlie.
But he was able to ride in a buggy, and dismissed it as “hit and giggles” golf.
Just a couple of months ago he suggested a competitive return was a long way off.
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Speaking as host of the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, he said: “I can still play, but I’m in a cart.
“Being a weekend warrior is easy, that’s not that hard. Hit your ball, hop in a cart, ride, barely step out of the cart, grab your club and hit the next one.
“The longest walk you have is probably from, what, the cart to the green and back.
“I can do that, that’s not that hard, but walking a golf course, that’s a totally different deal. I’ve got a long way to go.”
It looks like he has come a long way in a very short time.
Woods arrived at the course at 3.20 pm local time.
He then spent twenty minutes warming up before being taken to the first tee in a golf cart, to play nine holes.
And the green jackets strengthened the feeling that the five time Masters champion will make it to the first tee on Thursday, by adding his name to the list of players lined up for official interviews. Woods will be in the media centre at 11am on Tuesday.