Tiger Woods urges fans to “just kind of slow down”

Tiger will be the most decorated Masters player in the field, what with his four green jackets, eleven top fives and thirteen top tens in twenty starts.

Will he even be at Augusta?

Last year, Dustin Johnson was the No. 1 player in the world, but after injuring his back after suffering a fall just one day before the start of the tournament, he was unable to play. Padraig Harrington hardly recognized Woods at Torrey Pines earlier this year when he saw him walk onto the range, exchange a few high-fives and stop to chat.

The biggest obstacle for Woods?

Well, everyone except maybe the guys he’ll be playing with this week at Augusta, although I’m willing to bet a bunch of them are secretly hoping to see that Tiger Magic up close and live.

In San Diego and Los Angeles, in Tampa and Orlando, fans flocked by the thousands when Woods returned to competition after a fourth back surgery and suddenly looked very much like a 14-time major champion capable of resuming his pursuit of the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus. His Masters victory in 2017 was his 74th major championship appearance. But, no, it’s great for golf, it’s great for him. “But given his history here, I think even more so”.

Rory McIlroy is another who has begun 2018 looking refreshed, following a year hampered by injury, and the Northern Irishman also won recently.

Rory McIlroy: He’s a Masters win away from completing the career Grand Slam and is coming into the week not only in good form but somehow under the radar.

Sharma, his father and several friends were among the thousands crammed throughout the tight course to watch Woods play an exhibition round.

McIlroy: Four-time major victor is still looking to shed demons from 2011 collapse on back nine.

As awesome of a story as it would be to see Tiger win this year and make this one of the greatest comeback stories ever, I don’t think it will happen, however, I do believe he can finish in the top five. “Masters is always good, better when he’s here”. “From the patrons to the members to how it’s run and all the little idiosyncrasies of this club that are different that can be hard or challenging at times, I’ve come to kind of love and appreciate”.

He, 2012 and 2014 Masters Champion Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson will be teeing off in round one on Thursday at 11:04 a.m. ET.

The victor of golf’s last major, the US PGA, is Justin Thomas and the American, a childhood friend of Spieth, is arguably golf’s hottest talent.

2007 (T-2) … Failed to break par in any round and suffered bogey-bogey finishes in the first and third rounds.

“I’m going to take it really easy”, Johnson said.

And all that’s without mentioning world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who missed previous year following a freak injury from slipping down stairs at his rental home on the eve of the event.

That’s all been in preparation for the first major of the year, and here we are. “I got enough to worry about with myself”. He defeated Justin Rose in a playoff last year, and the British golfer has been the runner-up at Augusta in two of the last three years.

Compared to when he was starting out in the pros, Jason Day has found a way to enjoy playing the game now.

When you think of the Masters, what comes to mind? “That’s fine with me”.

“I’m very comfortable with my new equipment”, he said, “I feel like I’m getting better every week”. I honestly believe that.