Can Tiger Woods win another Masters title?
As he prepares to make his 26th appearance at the tournament, the 15-time major winner has opened up about his pain and his chances of winning.
With the Masters just one day away, one of the biggest talking points has been the return of Tiger Woods who has not played since the 2024 Genesis Invitational which he was forced to withdraw from during the second round due to influenza. Incidentally, the last time Woods was at Augusta, he was forced to withdraw as well, only it was because of foot pain, something that seemingly still plagues him.
Tiger Woods continues to suffer but he’s ready
Having not played since mid-February, many have questioned just what Tiger Woods’ game will look like when he takes to the course at Augusta National for the 2024 Masters. To hear Woods himself tell it, things will be tricky as he continues to feel the effects of the horrific car accident that he suffered in 2021. Indeed, Woods would later require surgery to repair the damage in his right ankle and as things stand, that has not resulted in a diminishing of the pain that saw him depart last year’s edition of the Masters in the third round.
“I hurt every day,” Woods said while smiling during his Masters press conference on Tuesday. “I ache. No, I ache every day. And I prefer it warm and humid and hot. And I know we’re going to get some thunderstorms. So, at least it will be hot. It won’t be like last year.” Needless to say, fans will be hoping that remains the case. If there is one thing that may work in his favor, it’s that he’s been preparing for some time now. Last month Woods visited the course for scouting purposes and was joined by longtime friend Justin Thomas as well as Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley
What can we expect from Tiger Woods in the 2024 Masters?
The 15-time major champion has only played one competitive round of golf in 2024 and on that occasion, he carded a 1-over 72. There were of course moments when he showed the Tiger of old, notching five birdies across the par 3s and par 5s, but it was clear that he was struggling with consistency as the day wore on. In the end, playing the par 4s in 6 over, Woods came in over par and that was that. From there, he made appearances at the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship which of course fueled optimism that his health had improved.
Woods even alluded to the possibility of playing one tournament per month in 2024, but after his early exit in Los Angeles which was his third in his last six PGA Tour starts, serious doubts were raised. “I wasn’t ready to play,” Woods said. “My body wasn’t ready. My game wasn’t ready. And I thought that ... once a month would be a really nice rhythm. Hasn’t worked out that way. But now we have major championships every month from here through July. So, now the once-a-month hopefully kicks in.”
Now, unlike the rest of the field, Woods will enter the Masters without having played to get there. Quite frankly, since he last won the green jacket in 2019, the 5-time Masters winner has been unable to finish within the top 25 at a major, nor has he managed to play on a Sunday since the 2022 edition. That said, should he make the cut this year it will mark the 24th time he has done so which would be a new record in golf. Of course, the milestone he’s really after is his 6th Masters title which would bring him level with the great Jack Nicklaus, something he believes he can do. “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” Woods said.