Tiger Woods could be making his PGA Tour return next week at the Masters after a two-month absence from tournament play.
Scott Michaux of The Augusta Chronicle reports that Tiger’s private jet was spotted at Augusta Regional Airport on Tuesday morning. Rumors have been swirling that Woods will be practicing at Augusta National Golf Club this week.
Tiger withdrew from a tournament at Torrey Pines last month after 11 holes. He announced several days later that he would be taking a leave of absence from PGA Tour play because he has been dissatisfied with his level of play. After skipping Arnold Palmer’s tournament at Bay Hill recently, Woods said he hoped to be back for the Masters.
Woods missed the Masters last year for the first time in 20 years after he underwent back surgery. His last Masters win came in 2005, though he has finished inside the top six in eight of his last nine Masters tournaments.
While the common belief is that Tiger will be too rusty to compete at Augusta, it should be noted that he went five months without playing before the 2010 Masters and still finished tied for fourth. He is very familiar with the course and always seems to play well there.
Tiger has struggled for several months now, so it’s no surprise he wanted to take some time off. His most embarrassing moment may have come when he hit these two horrible shots back-to-back in December. Still, fans want to see him at the Masters. It would add to the drama that comes along with golf’s most storied event.
