Tiger Woods’ Masters life started with a challenging day in Augusta, Ga. “A difficulty in perceiving.”
Upon Woods’ arrival at the practice range in Augusta National, a large crowd of around 200 people quickly gathered in the bleachers near his bag, with more spectators standing closely behind in a standing-room-only area stretching approximately 25 yards to the north. The majority of those present were eager to see if Tiger Woods would be able to make a comeback at the Masters once again.
His initial attempts appeared to provide an indication for us.
Despite the equipment, discomfort, and exhaustion from a 23-hole, 10-hour Friday, Woods performed exceptionally well. He consistently hit powerful iron shots and precise wedges.
He achieved great distance, controlled direction, and varied trajectory. Woods appeared focused yet relaxed, prepared to take on Augusta National under more favorable conditions. After some time, he took off his hat and looked back at the marks on the ground where he had hit the ball.
The spectators erupted into an unusual, almost excited cheer.
They were also prepared for what was to come.
“I think today’s gonna be a good day,” one fan said after a particularly roasted 3-wood. “I think today’s gonna be a really good day.”
As perhaps you know already, Masters Saturday was not a good day for Tiger Woods. It was, in fact, the worst day of his Masters life.
On Saturday, Woods scored a 10-over 82, which was his poorest performance in a single round at a major tournament.
Despite appearing strong during his warmup, he seemed rusty and hobbled during the actual round, displaying uncertainty and inconsistency, as well as signs of fatigue and physical strain.
Both his swing and mental focus were challenged, resulting in a disappointing score.
The trouble began on the 7th hole for Woods, as he hit a poor drive, followed by a wedge shot into a bunker, and missed a putt for a double-bogey six.
It carried on to the 8th hole, where he hit a drive into the left trees, missed the fairway on his approach, made a mistake with a chip shot, and missed a short putt for another double-bogey. Within nine holes, his score went from slightly over par and seven shots behind the leader to six over par and completely out of contention.
The bogeys on holes 14-17 were also unsightly, but they were largely insignificant.
At that stage, Tiger’s chances of winning the Masters were finished. He was aware of this, as was his caddie Lance Bennett and the spectators.
He walked up the 18th fairway quickly and uncomfortably, like a commuter in high heels, his eyes showing a desire to avoid a moment of embarrassment.
It seemed that Masters Saturday wasn’t going well for him, and even the crowd appeared to feel the same way.
The fans who crowded around the practice range suddenly seemed hesitant to watch as he made his way to the 18th gallery, giving him a weak applause when he reached the green.
They appeared as though they were afraid of cheering too loudly and causing him to react negatively.
But then it was over, and Tiger was not broken. And then something even stranger happened: He moved on.
Not happily, mind you. He approached the media with the general pleasantness of someone undergoing a root canal without Novacaine. Asked about his biggest challenge on Saturday, he laughed.
“The fact that I was not hitting it very good or putting well,” he said. “Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn’t hit it. And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, makable putts. I missed a lot of them.”
Asked how much Friday wore out his health, he grunted.
“Yes, it did.” The emotions that usually accompanied failures like this one – anger, intense pain, and the feeling that things could not go on as they were – were no longer present. Woods was angry and in pain over his performance, but he also appeared to accept a different reality: he had competed with the top players for 36 holes under difficult circumstances. He may have fallen behind in the competition, but his body was still capable of competing.
“He appeared to have a calm sense of lightness as he departed Augusta National on Saturday afternoon.
The situation wasn’t great, but it could have been more dire.
This golf course has demonstrated to him the potential severity of the situation.”
The Augusta National clubhouse was illuminated by the bright sunlight as Woods made his appearance. He was engaged in a hushed discussion with his agent, Mark Steinberg, and showed signs of a slight limp.
Accompanied by a team of four security personnel, he reached his car and briefly smiled. The crowd of fans had already dispersed.
The feeling that the battle had concluded, alongside the understanding that it was destined to carry on.