Tiger Woods will make his eagerly-anticipated return to golf at next week’s Masters Tournament but will he challenge for a fifth Green Jacket?
If his record in the season’s first Major is anything to go by then, despite having not played a competitive round since his victory in the JBWere Masters last November, the World Number One can figure on the top of the leaderboard as The Masters Tournament comes to a conclusion next Sunday.
Having won four times and finished in the top ten on a further six occasions in his 15 appearances at Augusta National, the 34 year old is returning to a venue that is often described as tailor-made for his thrilling style of play. That contention is impossible to deny when you cast your mind back to Woods’s great Masters moments.
The American announced his arrival to the Major Championship arena in 1997 by simply blowing away the competition, winning by 12 strokes to mark the dawn of a new era in golf. Then, in 2001, he took the title to complete the ‘Tiger Slam’, a feat that saw him take possession of all four Major Championship titles at the same time.
After another victory in 2002, it would be three years before Woods would get his hands on another Green Jacket but when he did win Masters title number three, he made sure it was achieved in the most dramatic fashion.
With weather delays wreaking havoc with the players’ schedule, Woods arrived at Augusta on the Championship Saturday needing to produce some of his old magic to get into contention. Cue seven consecutive birdies as he rampaged up the leaderboard, setting up an intense final round that saw him produce one of the greatest chip-ins ever seen on the par three 16th.
Having missed the green with his tee shot, Woods studied a pitch that he would have to play about 30 feet outside the hole. It rolled. It rolled and rolled and rolled. It took the slope. It trickled toward the pin. It hung on the lip, seemingly one revolution from tumbling in before dropping below ground to send the Augusta crowd into delirium. Woods went on to defeat Chris DiMarco in a play-off.
It is impossible not to get caught up in the hype surrounding Woods’ return to golf at his most successful Major for all of the reasons above. No matter what he does next week will make for compelling viewing, but if he plays well to contend for the title we should expect more drama come Sunday evening.
