Battered and rusty, can Tiger Woods pull a rabbit out of his hat for the Masters at Augusta?

AUGUSTA | He should be making his fourth or, in the best of all worlds, his fifth outing of the 2024 golf season. But when he arrives in Georgia tomorrow, Tiger Woods will be making only his second start. Regardless of his physical condition, he is still awaited with great fanfare by all the fans and firmly by his rivals.

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If we were to trust his statements when he hosted the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas at the end of last November, the 48-year-old big cat wanted to participate in at least one tournament per month in 2024 .

However, it is clear that this is not quite what is happening. The golfer with 15 major titles, heavily damaged by injuries, only appeared at the Genesis Invitational in February. An outing that was also cut short due to a virus when he withdrew before the second round.

Before Christmas

We must therefore go back to the beginning of December to evaluate his game. He then took the 18^e rank among the 20 golfers present at Hero World by breaking par in two of the four rounds. Woods said he was happy with his game, but still had a lot of work to do before he could compete with the fierce competition on tour.

Two weeks later, he also competed in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in this unofficial event.

In short, the golf world will have its eyes on his every move this week at Augusta. During Easter weekend, Woods paid a quick visit to this plot of holy land located on Washington Road in Augusta. He therefore remained faithful to his habits on the sidelines of the Masters. Accompanied by Justin Thomas, according to information circulating on social networks, he was also with the big boss of the Augusta National, Fred S. Ridley.

Already five years

Fans should remember it like it was yesterday. But it has already been five years since Tiger, dressed in his dangerous red polo shirt, roared and raised his arms on the green of the 18^e in a triumphant return to his favorite route. At the age of 43 and against all odds, he won the fifth green jacket of his career. And at the same time, its 15^e major coronation.

A consecration which had traveled around the world in addition to earning him a torrent of praise from the greatest athletes on the planet, all sports combined.

Three years later, 14 months after a serious road accident that could have cost him his life, Woods came back to life again at Augusta by resisting the ax to finish at 47^e rank. A performance that surpassed the simple result. He then delivered a lesson in courage and perseverance in “one of his greatest life achievements”.

Last year, on a chilly and rainy weekend worthy of the worst duck weather, he waved the white flag in the third round. He still equaled a record by resisting the ax 23^e times in a row, joining Gary Player and Fred Couples.

This week, in one of his rare outings, he is back in a legendary place that is dear to him. No matter the result, he will still work his magic.