Decision shortly before the start of the tournament
But only Tiger Woods himself can answer that. He hasn’t decided yet. He still lets everyone fidget. “There will be a decision shortly before the start of the tournament as to whether I will compete,” he previously announced via Twitter. The Masters starts this Thursday. As a former champion, Woods has a lifetime right to compete.
A little news about a secret training lap at the beautiful facility on Magnolia Lane in the US state of Georgia just over a week ago triggered the huge hype. Along with son Charlie and his good friend Justin Thomas, Woods had played all 18 holes on the course. Last Sunday he traveled to Augusta again to resume preparation for the tournament.
Practice lap fuels hype even more
“He looked like the tiger we saw before the accident,” gushed PGA pro Billy Horschel, who watched Woods hit balls in Augusta. The golf swing and speed are back. The tournament organizers then hurriedly shared a one-minute video clip of Woods’ practice session on social media, fueling the hype even more.
But the key question for Woods will be: how is his right leg? Can he put full weight on his leg, which was broken several times in the accident? Can he walk again without any problems? The par 72 golf course is one of the hilliest courses on the US tour and requires a good portion of fitness from the pros. “He looked phenomenal”, said 1992 Masters winner Fred Couples after a quick bout with Woods. “If he can run 72 holes here, he’ll be able to keep up. He’s just too good.”