AUGUSTA, Ga. – This time last year, Tiger Woods shocked the golf world for the umpteenth time.
The 15-time major champion returned to competition at the 2022 Masters just 14 months after a horrific single-car accident that nearly cost him his leg and managed to make the cut. Woods limped his way to the finish with a pair of weekend 78s, his worst-ever score here at Augusta National Golf Club, and at the time he didn’t know whether he’d be able to compete here ever again.
“Yeah, I don’t know how many more I have in me,” said Woods during his press conference ahead of this week’s 2023 Masters, his 25th appearance. “So just to be able to appreciate the time that I have here and cherish the memories … it’s really neat to be able to come here and play this golf course and see all the past champions. I know more guys on the Champions tour than I do the regular tour.”
While Woods, 47, made several hints and references to his potential future on the PGA Tour Champions – the age cutoff is 50 for the senior circuit – his focus this week is on the task at hand: making the cut once again and contending for a record-tying sixth green jacket.
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Woods called his made cut in 2022 “a small victory in itself” and while he admitted his game and endurance are in better shape this year, his aches and pains are a bit more present this time around, and his mobility isn’t up to his lofty standards, either.
“As I sit here, I’ve said to you guys before, I’m very lucky to have this leg; it’s mine. Yes, it had been altered and there’s some hardware in there, but it’s still mine,” explained Woods. “It has been tough and will always be tough. The ability and endurance of what my leg will do going forward will never be the same. I understand that. That’s why I can’t prepare and play as many tournaments as I like, but that’s my future, and that’s OK. I’m OK with that.
“I just have to be cognizant of how much I can push it,” he added. “Like (Rory McIlroy) was saying, I can hit a lot of shots but the difficulty for me is going to be the walking going forward. It is what it is. I wish it could be easier.”
Does he though? Woods has never been one to back down from adversity throughout his career, whether it be through his own fault or nagging injuries. But how has he been able to respond and answer the bell over the years?
“Stubbornness,” he said with a laugh. “I’m a little on the stubborn side. I believe in hard work, and I believe in getting out there and getting out of it what you put into it. I’ve worked very hard throughout my career and in my craft; I’ve always loved it.
“I’ve been stubborn and driven to come back and play at a high level. I think that has shown throughout my career and one of the reasons why I was able to — how many cuts I’ve been able to make in a row and how many tournaments I’ve been able to win over the course of my career, and that’s just hanging in there and fighting on each and every shot. It means something. Each and every shot means something.”
Especially at a course like Augusta National. Over the last few years fans have seen a different side of Woods. He’s enjoying his time on the course as his career continues its second nine, and he’s even sharing a bit more knowledge with other players every year he arrives down Magnolia Lane. Woods was lucky enough to play with the likes of Fred Couples, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal when he turned pro and made his first trip to Augusta, and praised them all for the insight they provided to another competitor.
“That’s what this tournament allows us to do, is pass on knowledge and gain knowledge from the past and apply it,” he said. “Whether I’m a threat to (other players) or not, who knows. People probably didn’t think I was a threat in 2019 either but kind of turned out OK.”
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