Can Tiger Woods restore roars at Augusta National?
“In your life have you seen anything like that?!”
Every golf fan was watching in disbelief when they heard Verne Lundqvist make that epic call about a shot that was twice as good.
Tiger Woods was in the prime of his career, and had just sunk an unbelievable chip shot on the 16th hole at Augusta National on Sunday. The chip-in birdie was an awkward shot that required a deft touch and an audacious imagination.
Back in 2005, the golf world was Tiger’s oyster. Every time he stepped on the course people expected him to win. Golfers were intimidated by his presence and in awe of his game. No one would have predicted that the 2005 Masters would be the last time Tiger slipped on a Green Jacket.
He won five majors from 2005 to 2008, but his 2008 US Open victory came at a price. Surgery was needed to repair his knee after years of power and torque had caught up with him. Of course, everyone is aware that his personal life caught up with him as well.
Over the past decade injury and adultery has been the narrative of the greatest golfer that ever lived. It seemed after countless back surgeries that Woods had crippled his body to the point of no return.
His confidence wavered, his accuracy off the tee disappeared and his ability to play the game he spent his life playing diminished.
Fans could hardly watch, but always would when Tiger tried to make a return. In 2013, he showed promise. He was the money leader on tour and took home PGA Tour Player of the Year honors for the 11th time in his career.
Since then, he has had more back surgeries than wins.
However, in 2018, a decade after he last dominated the sport of golf, a new Tiger emerges. Tiger credits his comeback and new outlook on the game to being on the brink of never being healthy again. There were days in 2016 and 2017 where the chiseled golfer could barely walk and others where he couldn’t get out of bed.
Tiger now smiles on the course, is gracious and open with the media and realizes he needs to make the most of what appears to be his last opportunity. At 42, his window of is closing fast. More young golfers come on tour each year unafraid of the legend because they never witnessed his dominance firsthand. Tiger Woods will be trying to change that this weekend.
After a few top-10 finishes early in the 2018 season, golf writers and fans have proclaimed that Woods is back. Vegas is even giving him great odds to win the whole thing. We all know that Tiger only tees it up when he feels he can win, so his confidence is instilling others to believe as well.
At 10:42 am on Thursday he teed it up in a major for the first time since 2015, but it's the first time in much longer where he's expected to win.
He knows this course well, and is coming in with a humble yet confident attitude, something we're not used to seeing.
One thing is for certain, we will all be watching to see if Tiger can hit another shot and win another title we will remember forever.
(image via CBS Sports)
