AUGUSTA, GEORGIA | At the end of a wind-tossed Friday that had begun 23 holes earlier in the morning chill at Augusta National, Tiger Woods had one more piece of business to attend to before setting yet another record in his remarkable career, but it couldn’t be easy.
Woods gave up on easy a few years ago as the back surgeries, neck problems and his wreck-ravaged right leg made walking a chore and golf a torture test at times.
So, Woods bowed his head and closed his eyes on the 18th green as another April gust blew sprays of sand in his direction as if it were being spread by sprinklers. When the wind paused, Woods holed a 5-foot par putt to finish at 1-over 145 after two rounds to assure his spot into the Masters weekend.
For the 24th consecutive time.
That’s one more than his buddy Fred Couples and Gary Player managed, giving Woods two things at once: another Masters record and, at least in his mind, a chance this weekend.
“I’m here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament,” said Woods, who will start Saturday seven strokes off the lead.
Like the short game that helped get him to the weekend, that was a vintage Woods response, bringing to mind the words of Yoda who told Luke Skywalker, “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Woods has spent a career forcing the rest of us to reimagine what success looks like and now, showing every bit of his 48-plus years, that is still the case but for different reasons.
When Woods arrived down the hill from the white clubhouse to renew his first round at 7:50 a.m. on the 14th tee, his face looked tired and a little puffy, as if he hadn’t gotten enough sleep, which was probably the case. He had played until dark, gone through his post-round recovery process and then awakened well before dawn to start again.
“He’s special. We had a really quick turnaround, and if I was feeling tired and awful, I imagine he was feeling even worse,” said Max Homa, who shares the lead with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler at 6-under-par 138.
Two questions hung in the breezy air: Could Woods make it 23 holes after such a quick turnaround? And could he make it to the weekend?
Yes and yes.
“Just need some food and some caffeine, and I’ll be good to go.” – Tiger Woods
If Woods completes the two rounds over the weekend, it will be just his third 72-hole performance in an official event in two years. His physical realities have introduced “gametime decision” to golf’s lexicon.
“Just need some food and some caffeine, and I’ll be good to go,” Woods said late Friday, hands on his hips.
In the morning, Woods played his five finishing holes in 2-over-par and faced a midday round – which took more than 5½ hours to complete – with the wind whipping harder. His even-par 72 in the second round was built on grit more than glamour because he hit just eight greens in regulation, but much of Woods’ brilliance has been built on his sleight of hand when it comes to saving shots.
No one has done it better.
There were highs and lows over two days as Woods made his 24th straight Masters cut.
“I don’t think I can explain how good some of the chip shots he hit today were,” said Homa, who spent a portion of the first two rounds watching Woods like the patrons ringing every hole.
Here’s an example of Woods doing Tiger things:
At the downhill par-3 sixth hole in the second round, Woods’ tee shot came to rest short and left of the green, 9 yards from the hole on the front portion of the heavily tiered green. He had just bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes and needed to change the momentum.
Two men in the gallery around the green strained to watch.
“He’s going to jar this,” one man said to his companion as Woods settled over the ball.
Woods, wearing off-white pants and a clay-colored shirt, popped the ball into the air, and before it fell into the hole, he was raising his wedge and walking toward the cup.
“There it is… Let’s go, Big Cat,” the same man said to his friend as one of Augusta’s famous roars echoed through the swaying trees.
“Time to get some beers,” the other man said as they headed toward the seventh hole.
From there, Woods matched par on a day when par meant something.
“I was forced to get up-and-down a few times today, and I was able to do that. A lot of those chip shots I was able to get up-and-down because I left it in the perfect spot, and that’s understanding how to play this golf course,” Woods said.
It’s unrealistic to think Woods might win this Masters. Only once in the past 37 years has a player outside the top 10 after two rounds won the green jacket, and Woods sits outside the top 20.
The slight limp in every step Woods takes is a reminder of what he lives with every day. He looks better physically than he did a year ago when he couldn’t make it to the end here, but it’s not 2019 anymore.
He has said often that he feels different every day now. Some days are good. Others are hard.
Woods will see what Saturday and Sunday bring. But first, he had to play his way there.
“I’m tired. I’ve been out for a while, competing, grinding. It’s been a long 23 holes, a long day,” Woods said.
“But [caddie] Lance [Bennett] and I really did some good fighting today, and we’ve got a chance.”