Tiger Woods sparks golf hysteria with miracle comeback at The Masters

A swoosh as Tiger Woods crushed his driver on the range at Augusta National on Sunday came with his signature beaming smile.

The face of golf had finally validated weeks of speculation and rumours about secret visits to this hallowed turf, where The Masters, the first major of the men’s golf season, begins on Thursday.

The latest miraculous recovery for one of the most engrossing sporting figures of a generation is almost complete. It is just 14 months after a sickening single-vehicle collision in California, which threatened to leave Woods with no choice but to amputate one of his legs after sustaining multiple fractures.

But here he is, gracing Augusta once more, where he truly belongs. Three years after slipping on his fifth Green Jacket. Woods has been deliberate in emphasising that teeing it up on Thursday is not merely a formality – it will be a “game-time decision”.

His demeanour on Sunday, alongside his rippling muscles underneath his salmon pink shirt and impressive torque in each swing at practice, suggests Woods means business.

An intimidating presence for his competitors in his prime, Woods has shown, even when floundering down the world golf rankings, that he can crank it up to a level very few can contend with. The 2019 triumph around Augusta came as others melted under the intense pressure at Amen Corner. Woods’ precision enabled him to stare down his rivals, sparking hysteria.

Bookmakers aren’t stupid either. They have already slashed odds of a frankly unfathomable 16th major this week, which would bring him to within two of Jack Nicklaus’ all-time men’s record.

Whether Woods, in his famed Stanford red, contends on Sunday or misses the cut for the first time in his career in this idyllic corner of Georgia, slightly misses the point – nobody quite moves the needle like Woods.

Not only does it feel like the sport is yet to entirely outgrow Tiger mania, but the statistics prove it too. The aforementioned crash left Woods on the sidelines for almost all of 2021, but he did manage to feature in the PGA’s PNC Championship alongside his 12-year-old son Charlie, finishing second in the 36-hole team event.

That was enough to top the inaugural Player Impact Program rankings – which measures a player’s appeal and positive interest across five metrics – and land an $8m cheque in the process.

Golf is in a golden age in terms of competition and the intimidating depth to fields each week, with the diverse talent spread to all corners of the globe. Americans Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau, with eight majors between them, barely squeeze inside the world’s current top 20 entering this week. And despite a formidable American contingent that demolished Europe at last year’s Ryder Cup, Woods continues to spark a feverish excitement like no other.

Should Woods, as expected, confirm his return to competitive golf on Tuesday just over a year after his career seemed lost, the mystery and intrigue surrounding his performance will build and build. The logic suggests a top 20 finish would be staggering, or even making the cut would underline his superhuman strength.

But part of the fascination around Woods is his mental resilience – his fortitude to dare to be great. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm or even Rory McIlroy can hit incredible heights, but the Woods journey still appeals like no other.

Yours,

Jack Rathborn

Assistant sports editor