Did what happened Tuesday when Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, hopped into their private jet and buzzed up to Augusta for a pre-Masters visit to Augusta National reveal more about Woods or about the rest of us?
That Woods feels encouraged enough about his recovery from the awful car crash 13 months ago to believe he’s capable of walking Augusta National’s heaving hills is a testament to both modern medicine, a commitment to therapy and Woods’ indomitable spirit.
For the rest of us, to paraphrase the line from the movie “Jerry Maguire,” he had us at, “Hello, world.”
We were reminded of that Tuesday.
When the sun went down at Augusta National on Tuesday afternoon, there was no affirmation that Woods will be on the first tee next Thursday when the Masters begins, but there was the buzz that only Woods can create in golf.
A year ago, everyone wondered whether he would walk again. Now we’re wondering whether he can win next week.
It’s what we do because it’s how Woods has conditioned us to look at him.
Unfair?
Positively.
Unavoidable?
Positively.
It should feel kinda creepy that adults were tracking Woods’ plane from south Florida to Augusta the way they were Tuesday and posting updates on social media, but we passed that stage of awkwardness years ago. This is about Tiger and the Masters, and if there were any doubts about what they mean – individually and collectively – the constant refreshing of Twitter feeds Tuesday morning answered that question for all time. We all but knew when Woods’ plane had reached a comfortable cruising altitude and when his tray table should be in its full, upright and locked position. There was video of his plane landing in Augusta, treatment usually reserved for Air Force One, but this is bigger news.
Did anyone other than air traffic control track Rory McIlroy’s plane heading to Augusta?
Didn’t think so.
The PGA Tour could do everyone a favor and declare Woods the winner of the 2022 Player Impact Program now. Remember how Secretariat separated from the other horses near the end of the 1973 Belmont Stakes?
Tiger just did that in the PIP program, again.
It’s fair to say that Woods went to Augusta to see if he can handle what the Masters will demand of him. It’s not just about the golf. It’s about walking a course that is marked by 160 feet in elevation change. That’s 16 stories of down and back up.
As plot twists go, reigning PGA champ Phil Mickelson sitting out the Masters while Tiger potentially walks back in, bad leg and all, is an all-timer.
If Tiger sticks to form, it will be Friday before we know one way or the other whether he will play the Masters next week. That’s because we’ve been through versions of this before with him, either confirming his participation or saying he’s not healthy enough to play.
Woods will share his decision when he feels like it, if he feels like it, which means Friday is a fair bet.
That’s been his way throughout his career. Pieces of information get out – caddie Joe LaCava was seen with Woods recently at Medalist Golf Club in south Florida, where Woods was walking rather than riding a cart – but Woods usually gets to make the big reveal.
It’s fair to say that Woods went to Augusta to see if he can handle what the Masters will demand of him. It’s not just about the golf.
It’s about walking a course that is marked by 160 feet in elevation change. That’s 16 stories of down and back up.
There are side slopes to contend with and practice days and extended pre-round prep sessions and cool-down sessions afterward. Remember what Woods went through just to get the fused discs in his back to allow him to play when he won in 2019?
He still has to do that, and now there’s a leg that nearly required amputation to work into the equation.
The day will come when Woods makes ceremonial appearances at Augusta National, but he won’t play this year if he doesn’t think he can compete. Now 46 and with a body that’s older than its years, Woods has softened his own expectations in recent years, but he has not surrendered the fight.
Maybe Woods went to Augusta National not to determine whether he can play next week but to be sure that he can’t play next week.
Maybe he doesn’t want to be sitting at home next week – or on his yacht someplace – and wonder whether he should have tried. This week is about getting the answer, it seems.
Every time we’ve thought we’d seen it all from Woods, he has found another way to show us something else.
He may be doing it again.