AUGUSTA, United States, Apr 5 – Tiger Woods heads back to Augusta National to resume his pursuit of a 15th major championship with a firmer grip on the realities of his game and fitness than he could claim in his long-awaited Masters return last year.

“This year, to be able to ramp up a schedule and be able to know what I can and can’t do going into the event, is a lot more comforting than this has been in the previous years because it’s been kind of an unknown going into that event,” said Woods, who played 18 tournaments in his 2018 comeback season along with the Ryder Cup and has teed it up in five events this season.

“I’m right there where I need to be,” Woods said in March. “I’ve gotten a little bit more consistent with my play, and I think that everything is headed on track toward April.”

For Woods, April is virtually synonymous with the Masters.

He won the first of his four Green Jackets there in historic style in 1997, completed the “Tiger Slam” there in 2001, successfully defended the crown in 2002 and won in dramatic style in 2005 with a chip-in to force a playoff in which he beat Chris DiMarco.

– Reason to be optimistic –

In 2010, Woods chose the Masters for his return to action five months after humiliating revelations of infidelity that ended his marriage.

But his appearance last year was his first since 2015, a return that followed questions whether debilitating back trouble and multiple surgeries would allow him ever to compete again at a high level.

Such was the hype surrounding Woods’s comeback last year, fuelled by top-five finishes in two tuneup events, he went into the 2018 Masters a betting favourite — but didn’t manage to post a round under par until Sunday.

He would go on to win the PGA Tour Championship last September, and has been in contention in the last two majors he played.

Nevertheless, expectations are more moderate this year as Woods comes off a quarter-final exit at the WGC-Match Play that left him irked — but lifted him two places to 12th in the world rankings.

Rory McIlroy — chasing a career Grand Slam — and world number one Dustin Johnson are favoured ahead of Woods — the 43-year-old superstar trying to become just the fourth player to win a major title 11 years on from a Grand Slam victory.

The most recent to do so was Ben Crenshaw when he added the 1995 Masters to his 1984 triumph at Augusta.

-Age no barrier

Jack Nicklaus, whose record of 18 major titles once seemed firmly in Woods’s reach, has himself shown that age needn’t be a barrier at Augusta National, swooping for a victory in 1986 that made him, at 46, the oldest Masters winner and the second-oldest to win any major.

Woods has been steady, if not spectacular this year. A neck issue that forced him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational was, Woods said, a problem that first flared at the Genesis Open in Los Angeles in February and worsened at the WGC-Mexico in Mexico City.

“It started to get a little tighter and tighter as I played more holes in Mexico,” Woods said at the Players Championship, acknowledging that it began to affect his putting.

It was behind him by the Players Championship Woods said, and some pundits reasoned that his exit at the WGC Match Play — after a confidence-building round of 16 win over McIlroy — may have been a blessing in disguise — giving him a bit of rest.

Woods’s caddie Joe LaCava told reporters he thought the Match Play was “a big step in the right direction”.

“Definitely reason to be optimistic,” he said.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Shujaa come short against Fiji in Hong Kong

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Racism means England’s Rose can’t wait for career to endrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Griezmann heads to Barca wondering what might have beenrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Pressure on Bayern ahead of ‘must-win’ Dortmund clashrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Juve poised to win eighth straight title in record timern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Woods ‘on track’ for pursuit of fifth Green Jacketrn

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Savea at the double as Hurricanes hold off Highlandersrn

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Gor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Chebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Oktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Ethiopia crush Kenya to Mixed Relay goldrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Super Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Brazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Cheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trickrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Racism means England’s Rose can’t wait for career to end

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Griezmann heads to Barca wondering what might have been

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Pressure on Bayern ahead of ‘must-win’ Dortmund clash

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Juve poised to win eighth straight title in record time

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Woods ‘on track’ for pursuit of fifth Green Jacket

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL GOR MAHIA ADVANCE TO CAF CONFEDERATION CUP QUARTERS?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Savea at the double as Hurricanes hold off Highlanders

rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

BetLion to award lucky winners with AFCON trip

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Chipu thrash Tunisia, sail to Barthes Cup final

rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Bomu to host Chapa Dimba Coast region finals

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Valencia inflict first defeat on Zidane’s new Madrid

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Shujaa come short against Fiji in Hong Kongrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Lonyangata eyes Paris record from hideoutrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Racism means England’s Rose can’t wait for career to endrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Griezmann heads to Barca wondering what might have beenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Pressure on Bayern ahead of ‘must-win’ Dortmund clashrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tGor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tChebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 3rd Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEthiopia crush Kenya to Mixed Relay goldrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSuper Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tBrazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn

rn Rugbyrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tCheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trickrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Shujaa come short against Fiji in Hong Kongrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Lonyangata eyes Paris record from hideoutrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Racism means England’s Rose can’t wait for career to endrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Griezmann heads to Barca wondering what might have beenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Pressure on Bayern ahead of ‘must-win’ Dortmund clashrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */