OLIVER HOLT: Tiger Woods’ longest day was a struggle between light and darkness. The fates and Masters tee times had conspired against him – but what he is doing at Augusta is utterly remarkable

It was just before 8 a.m. and Tiger Woods stood in beams of glistening morning sunlight at the base of the slope that leads to Augusta National’s 14th green.

He bumped a chip up toward the putting surface and watched it roll 20 feet past the hole. He judged the line of his par putt perfectly, but left it a foot short. He stared sullenly at his ball.

The pain in the limbs and joints of Woods’ body, a body ravaged by time, adversity and the relentless pursuit of greatness, is at its worst after dawn and he shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he walked to the 15th tee. portly and grim. People were shouting words of encouragement, but he didn’t seem to hear.

This was the beginning of Tiger Woods’ longest day, a day when weather, fate and Masters start times had conspired to kill the greatest golfer of this generation, a man held together by metal rods and spinal surgery. and ankle fusion, the physical challenge of playing 23 holes before the end of the afternoon.

Woods played 23 holes on Friday after his first round was cut short by poor lighting on Thursday

But what the five-time Masters winner is doing this week in Augusta is remarkable

He may have played more holes in 24 hours when he was younger, but not since he nearly lost a leg in a car accident in the hills above Los Angeles in 2021, an accident caused by his own driving that left him in so much pain had. that he was forced to withdraw from The Masters halfway through the third round last year.

There was a delay on the 15th tee as Woods and his playing partners, Jason Day and Max Homa, waited for the group at the front to move out of their reach and Day tried to engage Woods in conversation. Woods responded, but he didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about the exchange. It would be fair to say Day did most of the talking.

Then they hit their drives and Woods hit his between the two rows of pine trees that formed a corridor leading away from the tee. The brilliant white ball soared into the air against the bright blue sky and came to rest in the middle of the lush green fairway as the crowd roared and a father brought his son closer to where the five-time winner stood.

Everyone wants to experience firsthand the presence of greatness in the sport and to see Woods play, to see him walk the fairways of Augusta, is to feel the richness of golf’s history and his place up there among the giants of the game. such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Arnold Palmer.

Everyone wants to experience the presence of greatness in the sport up close and see Woods play

The greatness of Woods and Andy Murray comes from their refusal to quit golf and tennis

Greatness can develop through several iterations in a player’s career and now Woods’ greatness lies in his absolute refusal to accept that his physical limitations can neutralize his absurd levels of natural talent. The same goes for Andy Murray and his metal hip. Forget the people urging Woods and Murray to retire. They are as inspiring at this stage of their career as they were in their prime.

Woods, 48, was still in search of history this Friday in Georgia. He had already finished 23 times in a row at The Masters this year, tied with Fred Couples and Player for the highest mark in tournament history. This was his chance to stand alone at the head of the field.

Woods followed his ball down the 15th fairway, trailing everyone else in his playing group, his hands still deep in his pockets to protect himself from the lingering chill in the morning air. When he reached it, he saw that it was not far from Day’s ball. As it happened, Woods had been ahead by about six feet.

Police said the golfer was ‘lucky to be alive’ after he hit a raised median and crashed his SUV while driving at high speed in 2021

Woods, who won in 2019, continues to prove he is a phenomenon on the golf course

What Woods is doing here at Augusta this year is remarkable. Downright remarkable. After all, he has a talent for the remarkable. I was here in 2019 when he won his fifth Masters at the age of 43, not long after back problems left him so bad he could barely walk. It was probably the greatest individual sporting achievement I have ever seen. The man is a phenomenon.

He finally completed his first round at 9:29, after dropping another shot on the 18th. He disappeared into the clubhouse for a moment. There were only 48 minutes left until the start of his second lap. As he emerged and walked through the crowd waiting for him under the famous oak tree, someone shouted, “Come on Tiger,” and Woods puffed out his cheeks as if bracing himself for a physical ordeal.

That’s partly what golf has become for him now. He disappeared towards the first tee as the crowd formed a corridor for him and his entourage of security guards and it felt like the build-up to a title fight. Considering the battle ahead, perhaps that was appropriate. Many expected him to fade from that point on and miss the cut. Woods was not there.

As he walked down the first fairway, a woman held the hand of a young girl in a floral dress and pointed toward the man who was limping purposefully up the hill toward the first green. “Do you see that man with the white hat?” she said to her daughter. “That’s Tiger Forest.”

Woods and Jason Day were chatting during their round Thursday afternoon

While he tied the knot, Woods won’t stop there, saying he thinks he can win again at Augusta

Woods kept fighting. His second round was a battle between light and darkness. He birdied the third and bogeyed the fourth and fifth. Against the backdrop of a deafening roar rolling across the course, he chipped in from the edge of a bunker for birdie on the 6th. Amid great groans of disappointment, he bogeyed the 7th. He then birdied the 8th.

At Amen Corner he made a brilliant par on the 11th when Homa, now the tournament leader, could only make bogey. As he walked through to the 12th tee, the vast gallery of patrons who had gathered there rose in their thousands to applaud him and watch as he carried his tee shot safely over Rae’s Creek.

He now played steadily, making five pars in a row before making the 14th bogey. He then hit a majestic second shot on the par five 15th to within 15 feet of the hole. After Woods plays a shot, armies of spectators move around, eager to follow his every step. They saw him leave his Eagle Putt short but throw away a birdie.

It was clear that Woods would make it and history would be made. It’s unlikely Woods felt that way. “I think I can get one more,” he said on Tuesday, when asked how far his ambition for the tournament went. When his lap was over, he was eight shots off the lead. There was still work to be done.