Words: Golfplus Media
Photo: The Masters.
He has five-green jackets in his closet and guaranteed his annual return to Augusta with his first victory in 1997 but, this might have been a record most didn’t see coming and/or would not have put their house on leading into the 2024 Masters. At age 48 and having endured more surgeries and rehab assignments than many have had hot dinners, Tiger Woods has ‘comfortably’ made a record 24-consecutive cut at The Masters to break the tie he had shared with Gary Player and Fred Couples. I say comfortably only in terms of his relation to the cut line, as his 1-over par total through 36 holes was five to the better of the weekend pass mark. What he has to endure to make it to the tee each day is less than comfortable and with weather delays on Thursday, he also had to get through 23 holes on Friday to see if his body and golf would pass muster for yet another weekend run. Hugely impressive from a physical standpoint, even more so given his complete lack of high level tournament play in 2024. There’s no doubt he’ll literally have the feet up ahead of a 12.45pm EDT Saturday date with England’s Tyrrell Hatton with the pair just seven strokes shy of the lead held by Max Homa, Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. Jack Nicklaus did challenge for a 7th Green Jacket at age 58 but its a little early to be waxing on about a ‘T Woods Sunday charge’ just yet. Happy to keep the powder dry on that one until we see what unfolds on Saturday. |