Masters: Tiger Woods is back on the hunt for Augusta National as he tees off
Tiger Woods is back! Golf legend is back on the hunt for Augusta National as he tees off at The Masters
Tiger Woods teed off for his 25th Masters appearance on his beloved Augusta National Thursday.
The five-time champion took on The Masters for the second time since his horror car accident in February 2021, after miraculously returning to the track in Georgia last year.
His first shot in his quest for No. 6 to tie with Jack Nicklaus was a streak down the middle of the first fairway.
Woods last competed on the PGA Tour in February at the Genesis Invitational at the Riviera Country Club, where he posted a four under 67 in the final round, his lowest score in the competition since returning from his horrific car accident .
Woods made his miraculous return at last year’s Masters just 14 months after the single-vehicle accident that left him with significant injuries to his right leg.
Tiger Woods teed off for his 25th Masters appearance at his beloved Augusta National
The five-time champion took part in The Masters for the second time since his car accident
The golfing legend ran into a five-foot putt for an easy opening par Thursday morning
Despite Augusta’s inclines, the five-time Masters winner fought through leg pain and stiffness to remarkably make the cut.
He finished 47th after consecutive 6-over 78s on the weekend, which were his worst scores at the Masters.
Despite his sensational return, Woods’ competitive appearances were limited until 2022.
Woods completed just nine rounds in 2022 due to complications surrounding the limb-threatening injuries he suffered in his car accident last year.
Before the Genesis Invitational, Woods had not won a tournament by a cut since The Open last July.
He missed the cut at the 150th Open Championship at the historic Old Course in St Andrews, but had made it through the weekend at the PGA Championship before being forced to retire after 54 holes.
He was additionally forced to withdraw from the Hero World Challenge in December, citing plantar fasciitis, but he played alongside son Charlie at the PNC Championship later that month, where he was allowed to use a golf cart.
After the Riviera event, Woods reiterated his intention to compete in all four majors this year, body permitting, but will limit other appearances.
“I’m not going to play more than probably the majors and a few more… that’s it, that’s all my body will allow me to do,” Woods said in Riviera. ‘My back as it is, all the operations on my back, my leg as it is. I just can not. That’s just going to be my future.
“So my goal last year was to play in all four majors, I made it through three of the four. Hopefully I can get all four this year and maybe sprinkle a few here and there. But that’s it for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That’s just my reality.’