2022 Masters: Tiger Woods’ unforgettable 71 on his return to golf is even more incredible than imagined
AUGUST, Ga. – It’s a Thursday like a Sunday. That’s what happens when a five-time Masters champion returns to the sport he’s been dying for in the past quarter century for the first time in 17 months.
Between his last round of competitive golf at masters in November 2020 and the first round of this Masters 2022, Woods had to have one more back surgery and nearly lost his leg. So, what has he done after a year and a half away from professional golf at the highest level? He went out and shot a 1 under 71 to beat the field average by three, of course.
Given the stature of Woods (the best player ever), what he has achieved at Augusta National (5 blue jackets, not missing a single time in 21 tries as a professional). career) and the adversity he faced (“things… that I don’t want in anyone”), it was a 71 that would go down as one of the most remarkable rounds in Masters history. .
In theory, that’s a good score at a great tournament that could lead to something even better over the weekend. However, the paper has no context and requires the context of a man who almost needs a prosthetic leg to be able to walk.
It’s like living history from the first tee. Thousands of patrons lined up for the first hole at Augusta National to watch the 973rd-ranked golfer in the world hit his first official shot in more than 500 days. Tiger delivered early with a long walking par-in that whirled the gallery and seemed to invigorate someone who certainly didn’t need more adrenaline.
After five consecutive pars to start his round, Tiger almost hit an ace in the hole in 6th place and went red for the first time in 100 weeks. A sloppy bogey at par-5 8 pushed him back even as he finished his first nine holes and marched towards the nine-hole long line in the back of Augusta that made him famous. he made it.
Three more analyzes to start that side before an easy birdie on 13 and a trick on 14 as a result of a pull stroke. Tiger hit just nine fairways during the day, and his driver is often more useful to him as a walking device than as a tool for slamming his ball around Augusta National.
Tiger saved a ridiculous par at 15 par-5 after his first two shots were left and even more. On par-3 16, he hits a nice shot to the back right, better than can be seen in ShotLink. As he strode to the 16th green, those lining patrons took turns behind – as if waving from tee to green – to applaud him. Not because of the shot he had just received, but because they knew how absurd it was that he had been hit by shots in just over a year in his hospital bed.
“If you can see what my leg looks like now, the pictures – some of them know. They’ve seen the picture and they’ve come to the house and they’ve seen it,” Woods said later. his match. “To see where I’ve been, to see – to get from there to here, it’s not an easy task.”
Tiger showed the gallery what they came to see was probably the purest putt he’d hit all day, a hit he hit with a right-hand pump for birdies. Looks like he just took the lead on a Saturday afternoon. A straight shot and a miraculous save followed, and Woods finished a 71 that didn’t receive a second look in his final annals but still leaves you gasping for breath if you witness it. that happens.
Woods looked tired as he closed his ring, which is exactly how you’d expect a man whose body is twice as old as his birth certificate says to care for a child around. around a kindergarten in the mountains. His game is the same as he hasn’t held a pencil and a scorecard in his hand since before Thanksgiving 2020.
There were expected, almost unlucky shots with the big clubs he had to cover around and on the pitch with a pair of hands that had held every meaningful golf trophy ever made.
That’s the number 71 that a less experienced, more feisty player would turn into a 75.
“To play this golf course and to do what I did today, to … hit the shots on the right spot – I know where to hit it in order to get that many points right, and I miss at it. precise points and self-deprecating Woods said, “I’ve been doing that all day, and I’ve been able to hit a couple of shots and end up in red like now.”
Tiger has 3 back to the clubhouse and will be back 4 times before Round 2. He is unlikely to win this golf tournament as his gait tripped on a possible Thursday afternoon. become lame at the weekend. Plus, he was dexterous enough at teeing off that even Seve Ballesteros’ short game in his prime could not carry that weight for 72 holes.
However, with the spectacular performance he put on Thursday, Woods proved two things.
He can make cuts and work his way to contention at this tournament. Woods beat the man he brought to Augusta National last week, Justin Thomas, by five strokes on Thursday after JT spent the first three months of the year becoming the best dribbler on the planet. Tiger can and will hit enough of this course through 36 holes to create a hope on Saturday morning.
He has also proven something more significant that he has proved every year since he won this tournament 25 years ago. Woods returned to his hospital bed in a wheelchair to lie on his back in his palatial backyard listening to birdsong to keep out similar creatures on Thursday as he poured out every bit of wisdom, wisdom, and wisdom. effort and skill that he has left in him. body.
“[Walking the course] Woods said, “I can swing my golf club. The walking isn’t easy and it’s very hard. Like I said with all the hard work, my feet, it’s going to be tough for the rest of the game. It’s just the way it is, but I can do it. It’s something that I’m very fortunate to have this opportunity to be able to compete in, and not only that, to play the Masters and be able to continue. pick up like this. I mean, this place is electric.”
In putting on this amazing performance, Tiger reminded us that never before in sport has the will of any man been so great. His desire to perform and compete is twice as high as that of men half his age, who have not yet reached the 10% mark.
To see Woods hide an injury that had to destroy him from the inside and gut a 71 can feel like a miracle as recently as a month ago watching someone triumph over all external forces. shout at him that he’s done enough.
It certainly would have been easier for Woods to sit at home with his family to watch this Masters and text JT embarrassing GIFs after his gruesome 76th on Thursday.
When it comes to showing, he overcomes a lot, but in order to do that, he also chooses the more difficult path. Tiger chose a path that included more suffering, more frustration, and more pain because he became obsessed with the game and molded it to his will.
Will Thursday 71 tell that story 50 years from now? Can not say. But if you’ve witnessed or watched Woods’ circle, you’ll remember it as a ring larger than both days and months. it was (another) his performance that you will never forget.
Watch the 2022 Masters live stream through Sunday with Master Live As we follow the best golfers in the world across Augusta National with Featured Teams, check-in at the famous Amen Corner and watch the leaders roll over on holes 15 & 16. Watch live. above CBSSports.comthe CBS Sports App and Supreme +.
