TIGER WOODS HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE AND AUGUSTA 2020 COULD BE THE PLACE AND TIME TO CLOSE IN ON JACK’S ELUSIVE MAJORS TALLY. WORDS: TOM LONG.

This story featured in the THE CUT Magazine (March 2020) www.thecut.co.nz

Tiger Woods has won five Masters titles, leaving him just one behind the most decorated Masters champion of all time, Jack Nicklaus. Woods claimed his first four Green Jackets between 1997 and 2005 (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005). During this nine-year period he also claimed another six major victories.

Much has been written about the numerous operations Woods has undergone since claiming his 14th major championship, at the US Open, in 2008. These procedures have obviously slowed Tiger’s pursuit of Nicklaus’ record as the most decorated major winner of all time.

Rehabilitation from injury prevented Tiger from playing Augusta in 2014, 2016 and 2017, but in 2018 he returned to play in his 21st Masters. Although just a year after having his spine fused, he finished in a tie for 31st place. The fact that he walked off the course injury free and believed he could have placed much higher gave him a massive boost from a mental perspective.

And then, in the late afternoon of 14 April 2019, the world witnessed arguably the greatest sporting comeback of all time. As Tiger’s putt on the 18th hit the bottom of the cup, he let out a roar at claiming his fifth Green Jacket and 15th major victory.

After years in the golfing wilderness, the courage he’d summoned to overcome problems physical and personal was utterly remarkable. Emotions poured out of him as he embraced his children at the back of the 18th green. The numerous journalists who had written him off were immediately forced to eat humble pie.

And even though I never said never, I’ll admit I didn’t think it would happen. I never once doubted his talent or mental strength, but, like so many others, I doubted that his mind could overcome what his body had been through. Nobody could have imagined, when Tiger won the US Open in 2008 as a 31-year-old, that he would be 12 years older before he’d win another major championship.

He will need to keep his expectations of Augusta National in check over the coming years. But he knows the venue is his best chance of adding to his majors tally. Sitting just three major victories behind Nicklaus and still only in his mid-40s, Tiger will believe that, on this track, he still has the ability to become the most prolific major winner of all time. The GOAT.

Tiger won the 1997 Masters (his first major) by a record 12 strokes a year after turning professional. It remains the largest winning margin at Augusta and the third highest in all majors. And that majors record also belongs to him: a 15-shot win in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach, eclipsing the 13-shot victory by Old Tom Morris in the Open at Prestwick in 1862.

Throughout his 20s, Tiger adopted a course management strategy never before seen at Augusta. His power game, particularly from the tee, enabled him to comfortably reach every par-5 in two shots. His short game was quite simply on another level from all but one or two of his peers and these factors gave him the freedom to play fearless, attacking golf around a course that, with its quicksilver greens and undulations, had for so long been considered treacherous. Augusta National doesn’t punish errant tee shots as much as other venues – the pine straw is easier to negotiate than deep rough – but Woods’ club selection has always been without parallel. How often have you seen Tiger in the water?

Mentally, Woods is now even more comfortable playing at Augusta than he was in his 20s. Obviously, his body is not the machine it was back then, but he knows better than anyone how the golf course is set up for Masters week and can strategise to suit it.

Tiger is also looking comfortable with the swing changes he’s made over the past two years to prolong his career. He has had to sacrifice his power game and draw more often upon his ability to shape the ball around the golf course.

It’s often said you can’t win the tournament on Thursday, but you can certainly lose it. Tiger’s worst first-round score of his five Masters victories was a two-over 74. But four of his wins were kicked off with first rounds of 70.

Golf fans’ expectations for Tiger to repeat the heroics of 2019 will be huge, but they won’t affect him. If he can stay in the moment and remain injury free, he has every chance of doing something special again. If he opens with a first round of 70, you may well see that iconic red-on-black clothing combo stalking the green late in the afternoon on Sunday, 12 April.

TIGER’S MASTERS HIGHLIGHTS

1997 BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE

Woods won his first major 23 years ago at Augusta and in doing so he dominated the field with a record score of 18 under par, giving him a remarkable 12-stroke margin of victory. At 21, he became the youngest Masters winner ever.

2001 THE TIGER SLAM

No one has won the Masters, the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship in the same year, but Woods became the first and only player to hold all four titles at the same time. He won 2000’s last three majors and then completed the ‘Tiger Slam’ with his fourth in a 365-day period by winning his second Green Jacket in 2001.

2002 BACK-TO-BACK

Tiger became only the third person to successfully defend his title at Augusta after Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.

2005 SHOT OF THE CENTURY

Woods won his fourth Green Jacket on the first playoff hole, but the most incredible moment came on the 16th, when he produced one of the best shots of his career – and maybe the greatest shot ever played at Augusta. After a treacherous chip shot had missed the green long and left, Tiger found a spot on the green – no larger than a beer mat – from where he thought his ball would feed back down towards the hole. He played the chip to perfection, the ball almost stopping on his intended patch of green before gravity pulled it down the slope towards the hole. It hovered on the lip for what seemed an eternity before dropping into the hole for an incredible birdie. Tiger roared towards caddie Steve Williams and the crowd went bananas.