Masters comeback proves Tiger’s tale far from over

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/04/2022 (1619 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You have to go all the way down to No. 973 to find him in the latest world rankings, tied with Argentina’s Marcos Montenegro and American Julian Suri. Neither of those unheralded pro golfers were anywhere near Augusta this week.

But Eldrick “Tiger” Woods, someone you certainly need no introduction to, sure is. And by teeing it up at the Masters, the former No. 1 is writing the latest compelling chapter in his incredible life story, one that nearly ended in tragedy just 14 months ago.

“I’ve never seen the Masters like this before,” Winnipegger Derek Ingram told me on Friday afternoon from Georgia. The head of our national men’s team, who also serves as the personal coach of Canadian Corey Conners, is at the prestigious event for a fifth straight year.

“Two COVID years and a lack of Tiger Woods and people are now going crazy,” he said. “There is a buzz everywhere in the crowd and on the course. The crowd is miles deep. Even the players love it.”

There’s no question golf is better when Woods is around. He brings added exposure and revenue to the product like nobody else can. He’s must-see TV, one of those truly rare mega-stars who transcends sport. It’s a short list that includes the likes of Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan.

In case there was any doubt about his drawing power, TSN’s James Duthie, who is part of his network’s on-site coverage, had this Tweet on Friday afternoon. “Just off the course. Down at Amen Corner, 10k minimum following Tiger. Group behind with JT (Justin Thomas) and Scheffler, #1 player in the world and leading the tournament, maybe a couple hundred.”

My grandmother used to joke that Woods was her long-lost son. She hadn’t been much of a golf fan in her life, but there was something about Tiger that drew her into the sport, and she never missed catching him on the links. She passed away last year at the age of 95, but I know she would have been tuning in to every swing and putt he made this week. There are millions of others with similar stories around the world, no doubt, including an entire generation of new golfers who were inspired to pick up the sticks because of him.

Ingram is mainly focused on his primary pupil, who is tied for 10th heading into the weekend after rounds of 70 and 71. Conners, currently ranked a career-best 32nd in the world, finished 46th at the Masters in his rookie year of 2019, tied for 10th in 2020 and then tied for eighth in 2021. The 30-year-old from Ontario is someone to watch, a rising star whose best is still yet to come.

But Ingram can’t help but keep an eye on Woods, who came close to death in February 2021 following a single-car crash in California that left him with several leg injuries. His SUV flipped multiple times, and firefighters needed to use the jaws of life to get him out of the crumpled wreckage. As he recovered in hospital, there was legitimate fear his decorated career could be over. His 82 PGA Tour victories are tied with Sam Snead for most all-time. His 15 majors trail only Jack Nicklaus, who had 18.

Adding to those totals, let alone even being able to compete again, just didn’t seem to be in the cards. But here he is, at the age of 46 and with a right leg held together by metal rods and pins, proving all his doubters wrong.

“Not surprised. He’s Tiger Woods,” said Ingram. “He has the best of the best at his disposal and he uses it. Nothing about him ever surprises me.”

Perhaps the only thing that would be more shocking than Woods being in the field this week — something that wasn’t confirmed until Wednesday — would be seeing his name near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon. After all, playing golf at the highest level, where the line between success and failure is razor-thin and consistency is key, is not something you can typically do well following a lengthy hiatus. This isn’t playing with your buddies for a few bucks and bragging rights on the local municipal track.

“The fact that he’s out here walking around this golf course is really remarkable,” veteran pro Stewart Cink told reporters. “It’s just — if there was one person, I guess, I’ve ever known that I would say could do it, it would be Tiger Woods, and he’s doing it.”

He sure is. Woods, playing in his first tournament in 508 days, certainly didn’t look out of place on Thursday as he fired an opening-round one-under 71. There was a bit of a hitch in his step as he moved around the course, and he admitted afterwards to battling through pain that wasn’t expected. But it was an eye-popping performance given the circumstances and the enormous stage.

He came back down to Earth a bit on Friday, playing in difficult gusty afternoon conditions, as he began with bogies on four of his first five holes. But ever the battler, Woods stuck with it. He birdied Hole No. 8, and followed it up with another on No 10. Back-to-back bogies on 11 and 12 were quickly followed by back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14, the last one eliciting a massive roar from the crowd. Four straight pars to finish left him with a 74, and a two-day total of plus-one. That comfortably beat the cut line by three strokes and had him tied for 19th through 36-holes. Remarkable, really.

No, he’s unlikely to add a sixth green jacket on Sunday, with nine strokes currently separating him and runaway leader Scottie Scheffler, who followed up his opening round 69 with an even more impressive 67. And that’s great story, for sure. But not the biggest one.

Based on what we’ve seen so far this week, it would appear Tiger’s incredible tale isn’t over just yet. Not by a long shot, in fact. Enjoy the weekend, folks. I certainly will.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg