Tiger Woods Optimistic on Eve of Masters: ‘I Think My Game Is Better Than It Was Last Year’

The five-time winner at Augusta said his endurance is also better, though the weekend forecast may not help.

An ominous weather forecast for the weekend is something Tiger Woods did not enjoy seeing as he returns to competition this week at the Masters, just his second official start of 2023.

A cold weekend last year did not help as he played for the first time in 14 months since significant injuries were sustained to his lower right leg following a car crash in February 2021.

And cool temperatures are among the many factors he faces as he attempts to play.

“I think my game is better than it was last year at this particular time,” Woods said during a news conference Tuesday at Augusta National, where he played a nine-hole practice round with Fred Couples and Justin Thomas. “I think my endurance is better. But it aches a little bit more than it did last year just because at that particular time when I came back, I really had not pushed it that often. And I had a little window in which I did push it and was able to come back.

“Fast-forwarding, I didn’t really play a whole lot afterwards. Took a little bit to recover from the event. I played in February at L.A. [the Genesis Invitational] and then took a little time off before getting ready for this. I just have to be cognizant of how much I can push it. I can hit a lot of shots, but the difficulty for me is going to be the walking going forward. It is what is. I wish it could be easier.

“I’ve got three more years, where I get the little buggy [golf cart] and be out there with Fred, but until then, no buggy.”

Woods was referring to getting to use a golf cart on the PGA Tour Champions, when he turns 50.

Couples, 63, who won the Masters in 1992, also played with Woods during a nine-hole practice round Monday with Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim.

• Watch the Masters: Complete April streaming schedule.

“He hit it really, really well,” Couples said. “He pulled a couple drives. But last year we played, he never missed a shot. I’ve never seen anything like it. For him, he’s just out there just trying to walk around and play.

“Physically? I don’t really ask him a lot. I think that’s not something when I text him or talk to him, really what our conversations are about. I think when he tells you I’m only going to play four events, and Augusta is one of them. He’s ready to go, it’s probably not going to be easy. But I think he’ll be fine.”

Couples added: “But he’s strong enough to hit it a mile. He’s not hitting it as far as Rory. I don’t think many people are. But he’s hitting it really strong and solid, and he looks good.”

Said McIlroy: “If he didn’t have to walk up these hills and have all of that, I’d say he’d be one of the favorites. He’s got all of the shots. It’s just that physical limitation of walking 72 holes, especially on a golf course as hilly as this.

“But again, as we all know, we never count Tiger out, and he can do incredible things. You watch him on the range and you watch him hit chips and putts, and he’s got all the aspects of the game that you need to succeed around this place. It’s just the toll it takes on his body to compete over 72 holes.”

Woods tied for 45th at the Genesis after making the cut on the number. Last year, he finished 47th at the Masters, shooting 71 in the first round before struggling on the weekend. He also withdrew following the third round of the PGA Championship and missed the cut at the British Open.

So this will be just Woods’s fifth official event since returning from the crash. He won the Masters in 2019 for his fifth Masters win and 15th major title.

Woods will play the first two rounds with Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, with a 10:18 a.m. tee time Thursday and 1:24 p.m. on Friday.