AUGUSTA, Ga. — The rating was by no means going to matter.
This Masters, the twenty fourth of Tiger Woods’ profession, was by no means going to be about his outcomes or the place he would end, however that he might end.
That Woods — fewer than 14 months faraway from his horrifying one-car wreck exterior of Los Angeles that he stated almost brought on his proper leg to be amputated — merely began this week’s Masters was astonishing in and of itself.
The scene shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday as Woods accomplished his closing spherical was paying homage to the scene from the identical spot in entrance of the Augusta Nationwide clubhouse in 2019 when he gained his fifth inexperienced jacket — minus the bedlam.
There was a human tunnel fashioned between the 18th inexperienced and the clubhouse, and on the finish of it stood his two children, Charlie and Sam, his girlfriend, Erica Herman, his mom, Tida, and his closest confidant, Rob McNamara.
This was a victory for Woods. It didn’t rely as his 83rd profession win or his sixteenth main championship. However what he did at this Masters was a minimum of as profound a victory for Woods as maybe any of his wins within the file books.
“The truth that he performed 4 rounds in a row on this golf course … I don’t need to use the phrase ‘wonderful,’ however with all he’s been by it’s borderline wonderful,’’ Woods’ caddie Joe LaCava informed The Publish in a quiet second as he loaded the courtesy automobile within the champions car parking zone in entrance of the clubhouse.
That the 46-year-old Woods was in a position to stroll 4 rounds at Augusta, one of many hilliest golf programs within the nation, it opened a door to his enjoying future — a future few thought he’d have after the crash.
A future that, he informed Sky Sports activities after his spherical Sunday, consists of enjoying within the British Open at St. Andrews in July and probably even the PGA Championship subsequent month at Southern Hills.
LaCava, by nature a really pragmatic and conservative man, stated “the door is ajar’’ for extra match golf for Woods.
“There’s mild on the finish of the tunnel that it could possibly occur — definitely on a part-time form of scenario,’’ LaCava stated. “The truth that he obtained by round right here makes you assume perhaps stroll just about every other golf course.’’
LaCava’s first objective for the week: “I informed individuals, ‘Let’s get to the highest of the primary hill on the primary day and go from there.
“It’s nice he did 4 days in a row, however I need to know the way he's Friday, Saturday, per week from now. Then I’ll say, ‘OK, perhaps the door’s additional open.’ ’’
Woods stated he “had the identical questions’’ everybody else had about whether or not he’d be capable of return to match golf.
“I don’t assume phrases can actually describe that, given the place I used to be somewhat over a 12 months in the past and what my prospects have been at the moment, to finish up right here and be capable of play in all 4 rounds,’’ he stated. “Even a month in the past, I didn’t know if I might pull this off. I feel it was a optimistic, and I’ve obtained some work to do and searching ahead to it.’’
The following field to verify for Woods is the PGA at Southern Hills, the place he gained in 2007.
“I don’t know if I’ll be capable of play at Southern Hills or not, however I'm wanting ahead to St. Andrews,’’ Woods informed Sky Sports activities. “That's one thing that's close to and pricey to my coronary heart. You already know, I’ve gained two Opens there, it’s the house of golf, it’s my favourite golf course on the planet. I will probably be there for that one.
“Something in between that, I don’t know. I'll attempt, there’s little doubt. This week, I'll attempt to prepare for Southern Hills, and we’ll see what this physique is ready to do.”
LaCava conceded that the opening-round 71 proved to be “somewhat little bit of a tease.’’
“While you shoot 71 on the primary day in these sorts of circumstances, you begin to get your hopes up, like, ‘Can this really occur? Can we contend this week?’ ’’ he stated.
When Woods walked to the clubhouse for scoring and when he stepped onto a riser to talk to reporters after the spherical, he moved awkwardly and winced in ache.
“I feel it caught as much as him in the long run, after all,’’ LaCava stated. “4 days round this monitor — to not point out the climate we had? So yeah, I feel it simply wore on him.’’
For the file, Woods shot 78 on Sunday, identical rating as he shot Saturday after capturing 71-74 in his first two rounds. He completed forty seventh out of the 52 gamers who made the reduce.
Irrespective of.
“Rating at all times counts with this man,’’ LaCava stated. “However on the finish of the day, it wasn’t as essential perhaps as at all times.’’
Post a Comment