AUGUSTA, Ga. — If, just a few years ago, you asked Tiger Woods a question about what an accomplishment it would be to make the cut at the Masters, you’d be doing so at your own risk.
“To win,’’ Woods would say without fail.
Woods’ goal has never been about making cuts at major championships.
Even at age 48 and with his litany of physical ailments, Woods on Tuesday said he believes he still has “one more’’ Masters victory in him this week.
Even if he won’t come out and say so, you can bet it’s an accomplishment that Woods appreciates.
“It means I have a chance going into the weekend,’’ Woods said, sounding a lot like his 20- or 30-something-year-old self.
I have a chance to win the golf tournament.’’ Woods entered the day facing a challenge he would have rather not faced, which was having to play more than 18 holes.
“It really is a dream to get to play with him here,’’ Homa, like Woods an LA native, went on.
AUGUSTA, Georgia. You would have been asking Tiger Woods to make the cut at the Masters a few years ago, and you would have done so at your own peril.
On the eve of his favorite major championship, Woods perfected the cold-stare whenever someone was dumb enough to ask him what his objective was.
Furthermore, the response never changed.
It was always “to win,” Woods would say.
Cutting during major championships has never been Woods’ goal. You don’t need any more proof of that given his 82 career victories, which include 15 major titles.
Despite his numerous physical ailments and advanced age of 48, Woods stated on Tuesday that he thinks he has “one more” Masters victory in him this week.
That was not true, and I don’t think it is now, as too many things are conspiring to prevent such an incredible accomplishment, among them being the current leaders Bryson DeChambeau, the world No. Max Homa and Scottie Scheffler.
Notwithstanding, I think it’s appropriate to celebrate Woods’ achievement, considering his advanced age, physical condition, and the depth of talent in the game, as he made his 24th consecutive Masters cut on Friday, surpassing the records held by his good friend Fred Couples (1993-2007) and Gary Player (1959-82).
You can bet that Woods is proud of his accomplishment, even if he won’t admit it.
During his quick post-round conversation with reporters, Woods stated, “I’ll be able to text Freddy and give him a little needle as soon as I’m done with you guys.”. ‘’.
Woods’ concentration swiftly returned to the present, though, as he is currently one shot behind the lead and 1-over for the tournament, putting him outside of the running for his record sixth green jacket.
Similar to his 20- or 30-something-year-old self, Woods remarked, “It means I have a chance going into the weekend.”. “I’m present here. It’s possible for me to win the golf competition. ”’.
Playing more than eighteen holes was a challenge that Woods would have preferred not to take on when the day started.
Woods had to finish the last five holes of his first round on Friday morning before starting his second round since thunderstorms on Thursday caused the first round to be delayed and then suspended due to darkness. 23 holes were played on Friday as a result of that.
Indeed, Woods admitted, “I’m tired.”. I’ve been grinding and competing for a while now. It has been a long day, spanning 23 holes. ”’.
Homa, who has been playing alongside Woods for the past two days, enjoyed what he saw from the front row after shooting a blistering 6-under to put himself in the running for his first major championship.
Homa remarked, summarizing his two days in the Woods, “It’s hard to put into words.”. “Every time you see a shot, you can feel the excitement of the crowd followed by awe. I’ve occasionally just watched him over the past two days and enjoyed myself as a fan—albeit from a slightly better seat.
Like Woods, who is from Los Angeles, Homa said, “It really is a dream to get to play with him here.”. “Always, I was standing right next to him, wanting to watch him hit iron shots around here. It was truly amazing. He had an excellent short game. The quality of some of the chip shots he hit today defies description.
“He is unique.”. After finishing the first round, we had a very short turnaround, so if I was feeling exhausted and horrible, I can only imagine how awful he was feeling. ”’.
Few players know and comprehend the subtleties of Augusta National better than Woods, so as long as his health held up, Woods making the cut was always a good bet going into the tournament.
“He has such a great understanding of this golf course,” Homa remarked. “He has such excellent iron play that you could tell he had a lot of control even when he missed the green. And on the eighteenth, we had 45 seconds of wind-driven sandblasting. I whirled around five times to avoid being crushed in the face, and he was standing there like a statue before pouring it right in the center.
It was entertaining to witness in person all the clichés and old tales about how he would persevere that are spoken about him. ‘’.
Due to physical difficulties and the cold, wet weather, Woods was forced to withdraw from the 2023 Masters before the third round started on Saturday morning. Over the previous two years, he has only finished one 72-hole full-field event.
But that’s all irrelevant right now. For Woods, then, the next two days are all out as he attempts to conjure up more of the magic that brought him to the attention of the world in 2019.
Woods replied, “I’m right there.”.
where he is meant to be.
