Tiger Woods plans to play in the Masters 14 months after his horrific car accident

Essentially the most inconceivable of sports activities comebacks is underway.

Tiger Woods, fewer than 14 months faraway from a catastrophic automotive accident that threatened his potential to stroll, confirmed Tuesday that he intends to play within the Masters this week in pursuit of his sixth inexperienced jacket.

“As of proper now I really feel like I’m going to play,” he stated. “I’m going to play 9 extra [practice] holes [Wednesday]. My restoration has been good.”

The information adopted half a follow spherical by Woods on Monday throughout which he drew a gallery of hundreds that was not less than 5 layers deep from tee to inexperienced.

“It’s been a tricky, robust 12 months and lot of stuff that I needed to take care of that I don’t want on anybody,” he stated, “however right here we’re at Masters week.”

Requested if he feels he can win the match, Woods replied, “I do.”

Woods, whose 15 main championships are second to the 18 of Jack Nicklaus, has received 5 inexperienced jackets. His first got here 25 years in the past on the 1997 Masters when, at age 21, he posted a 12-stroke win that also stands because the match’s largest margin of victory.

He would go on to win the Masters in 2001, ’02, ’05 and, in a profession resurgence for the ages, 2019. That stirring victory three years in the past was not solely the primary majors win for Woods in 11 years however was an inconceivable revival from a string of private scandals that sullied his once-pristine picture, in addition to 4 again surgical procedures that when left him unable to get away from bed.

However the newest comeback is much more spectacular. It appeared Woods would by no means return to competitors after a horrific automotive accident in February 2021. He was in Los Angeles, touring at a excessive fee of pace, and misplaced management of his SUV, which rolled a number of instances earlier than coming to a halt. The crash occurred on a curvy and steep stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Police stated Woods was fortunate to be alive and was extracted from the crushed car with accidents that included a shattered ankle and two leg fractures.

The lingering results of these accidents had been evident greater than a 12 months later Monday when Woods considerably rigidly walked 9 holes with Fred {Couples} and Justin Thomas, drawing a large roving gallery paying homage to the ultimate group on a Masters Sunday.

{Couples} stated he was notably impressed by Woods’ size off the tee and stated he has been speaking with him for months however hasn’t wished to press him on when he would possibly return to competitors.

So even after he just lately noticed an image somebody took of Woods enjoying and not using a cart at Medalist Golf Membership in Hobe Sound, Fla., {Couples} didn’t inquire additional.

“That’s not how we work,” {Couples} stated. “I really like him as one among my greatest buddies and I need to rattling hold it that method, and I don’t pry into something he does, however many of the texts had been about his children. Charlie acquired fitted for brand new golf equipment, his daughter, the speech, his daughter enjoying in soccer, after which swiftly he stated, `I’m going to go to Augusta,’ — as a result of he loves JT [Justin Thomas] and I and he needs to play these little follow rounds. That was his aim.”

Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes, enjoying in his third Masters, had an inkling Woods would attempt to play within the match again in December, when Woods performed within the PNC Championship Professional-Am together with his 13-year-old son, Charlie.

“Now, I knew he was driving in cart, and he has to stroll Augusta Nationwide, however I simply thought that he had that in his thoughts most likely that that will be a fairly cool approach to come again,” Hughes stated.

However Hughes conceded he had second ideas about that final month when he attended the World Golf Corridor of Fame ceremony and noticed Woods, a brand new inductee, limp onstage.

“I assumed, `This man doesn’t seem like he’s able to play,’” Hughes stated. “However he’s gotten himself prepared, and we’re clearly excited to have him right here.”

Max Homa, whose Genesis Invitational win at Riviera occurred simply earlier than Woods’ accident, marveled on the will and dedication of the world’s most well-known golfer.

“It’s a true testomony to his work ethic as a result of everyone knows what he does on the golf course, how laborious he works, and the tales and the legend,” Homa stated of Woods. “However sitting there and doing all that [physical therapy] is — that’s acquired to be simply boring on the very least, not to mention laborious.

“It jogs my memory of the documentary `Muse’ with Kobe Bryant after he pops his Achilles. It’s simply him selecting up marbles together with his toes and placing it in, and he’s doing it far more than anybody else would do. That’s what I think about Tiger is doing, similar to essentially the most reps you presumably can to prepare. It’s outstanding actually.”