Tiger Woods, five-time champion of the Augusta Masters, acknowledged this Tuesday that he is clear that he will never be in top form again after the serious injury suffered in a road accident in 2021 and that he does not know “how many” Masters he has left, so you enjoy “the moments” to the fullest.
“I didn’t know if I could play at this level again. The accident was hard and I appreciate the fact that I can play. Coming here and playing in Augusta is special. I cherish the memories I have, in competition or training. A lot happened to me here and I’m happy to be able to play,” said Woods, who finished 47th in his start last year.
“I can’t compete like I could before, but to continue sharing moments and playing is fantastic,” he insisted. He did not hide and recognized that this year may be one of his last appearances in Augusta. “It crosses my mind that it may be my last time. I don’t know how many Masters I have left, I just cherish the moments,” she said.
“Now it’s different, I’ve always liked training, preparing for events. Now it’s much harder, I don’t play many tournaments, but the joy is different, I spend more time with my son, we create memories together, we share moments that I lived before with my father. The bond that is created thanks to this sport is incredible,” he added.
On a physical level, Woods considered that this year he arrives in Augusta in better shape than in 2022. “At a mobility level I am not where I would like. As I said, I am lucky to have my leg. It has been hard and it will continue to be so. I am working in the resistance, even if it will never be the same. This is my future, I accept it,” he said.
“My game is better than last year right now. My stamina is better, but it hurts a little more than last year. That’s because until then I hadn’t pushed as much. I played in February in Los Angeles and now I took a while. I can hit a lot, the problem for me is walking forward”, he added.
Tiger will start the Masters this Thursday at 4:18 p.m. (Spanish time) playing alongside the Norwegian Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele.
The American golfer, winner of fifteen majors in his career, suffered fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg, as well as injuries to the bones of his foot and ankle, which kept him hospitalized for several days at the Harbor UCLA hospital in Los Angeles, after a serious road accident suffered in February 2021.
Last year, Woods finished 47th at the Augusta Masters, of which he is a five-time champion, retired after three rounds at the PGA Championship and played his last tournament at the British Open.
