Tiger Woods hoping waiting game pays dividends again as he defends Masters title

After waiting so long for a 15th major title, it is perhaps fitting that Tiger Woods has held on to it for far longer than expected.
Woods won his fifth Masters in April last year, an incredible 3,954 days since he beat Rocco Mediate in a play-off for the 2008 US Open, despite a double stress fracture and knee injury which prompted season-ending surgery.
And the 44-year-old will get his title defence under way 579 days after he slipped on the green jacket at Augusta National after what is traditionally the year’s first major championship became the last due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Enough about coronavirus, we’ve got the Masters to get excited about!https://t.co/i11ba2D0ON
— Today’s Golfer (@TheTodaysGolfer) November 3, 2020
The delay has done Woods no favours in terms of his form and the former world number one is rated a 35/1 outsider on the back of some mediocre performances since golf resumed following its shutdown.
After ending 2019 with a victory in the Zozo Championship in Japan and fourth place in the Hero World Challenge, Woods started 2020 with a top 10 at Torrey Pines, but his best result in six events since returning to action in July is a tie for 37th.
Augusta National is arguably the most likely place where a rusty Woods can turn up and be competitive and with a lack of daylight being a factor, the 84th Masters will begin how the 83rd ended, with a rare two-tee start.
With thunderstorms forecast to hit the course in mid-afternoon during last year’s final round, tournament officials took the unprecedented decision to move the tee times forward by several hours, with players sent out in groups of three from both the first and 10th tees.
Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced today that @themasters will provide an expansive slate of content across multiple platforms, including @CollegeGameDay live from Augusta National on Saturday, November 14.
Read more: https://t.co/zMNJNS84bC pic.twitter.com/S9Dsz25A7c
— The Masters (@TheMasters) October 27, 2020
Open champion Francesco Molinari began the day with a two-shot lead over Woods and Tony Finau and found himself three clear after six straight pars, but Woods closed the gap to a single shot with birdies on the seventh and eighth to set up a thrilling finale.
Woods had ridden his luck at times in his third round of 67 and finally paid the price for a wild drive on the 10th, the resulting bogey dropping him two behind Molinari, who saved par superbly after pulling his approach left of the green.
However, the wind was playing havoc on the daunting par-three 12th and Molinari, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter and Finau all dumped their tee shots into the water guarding the front of the green.
Sensing his opportunity, Woods played safely away from the pin and a somewhat nervy par, after leaving his birdie attempt five feet short, gave him a tie for the lead as Molinari could not get up and down following a penalty drop.

An amazing day then took another twist as Patrick Cantlay, who made the halfway cut with just a shot to spare, followed his third round of 64 with five birdies and an eagle on the 15th to briefly claim the lead, only to bogey the next two holes.
Birdies from Dustin Johnson and Koepka made it a five-way tie before Molinari’s challenge was effectively ended with a double bogey on the 15th, where Woods two-putted from long range for birdie to take the outright lead for the first time.
Woods was then inches away from the third hole-in-one of the day on the 16th and tapped in for birdie to double his lead, allowing him the luxury of a bogey on the last before the exuberant celebrations could begin as chants of “Tiger, Tiger” reverberated around the 18th green.
“That will be the greatest scene in golf forever,” said six-time major winner Nick Faldo, commentating for CBS. “We will never see anything as exhilarating as that.”
He may well be right, but in this strangest of years, anything feels possible.
Latest
-
News
Collin Morikawa takes two-stroke lead into WGC-Workday Championship final round
The American continues to shine on the biggest stages.
-
News
Tiger Woods ‘in good spirits’ after hospital move and further treatment
Woods survived what police said would otherwise have been a fatal crash because the interior of his vehicle remained largely intact.
-
News
Brooks Koepka in lead for second win in three events at WGC-Workday Championship
Koepka’s second round of 66 was marred only by a bogey on the 18th.
-
News
Tiger Woods moved to new hospital as he continues recovery from car crash
The 15-time major winner suffered multiple injuries in the accident.
-
News
Rory McIlroy makes solid start in quest for another World Golf Championship title
McIlroy carded an opening 69.
-
News
Dustin Johnson offers prayers to Tiger Woods and family
World Number one Dustin Johnson has exrtended his prayers to Tiger Woods and his family following his car accident.
-
News
Tiger Woods doesn’t need to play again to continue impacting golf – Rory McIlroy
Woods is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery on significant injuries to his right leg in a car accident.
-
News
Tyrrell Hatton reveals he knew nothing of one of Ryder Cup’s most famous moments
The Concession Golf Club in Florida was named to mark an act of sportsmanship between Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin at Royal Birkdale in 1969.
-
News
Rory McIlroy keen to continue track record of bouncing back from missed cuts
Victory in the WGC-Workday Championship would make McIlroy the second player to have won all four WGC titles.
-
News
Tiger Woods’ health is priority right now, not his return to golf – Rory McIlroy
Woods has had surgery on significant injuries to his right leg following a single-vehicle road accident on Tuesday.