When the first major of the year tees off on Thursday, the centre of attention will be a player who has gone five years without winning a premier event.
Tiger Woods has built his golf game back to its former dominant level, has regained the No 1 ranking in the world and has captured five PGA Tour titles over the last two seasons.
He has not won a major tournament, however, since he captured the 2008 US Open in a dramatic playoff with Rocco Mediate while playing on a damaged leg.
That was the 14th of Woods’ major championship wins, leaving him four away from equaling the record total achieved by Jack Nicklaus.
It seemed then that Woods would easily surpass Nicklaus in the record book, but injuries as well as very public personal problems combined to make such an achievement less than certain.
With Woods now appearing as ready as ever to renew his pursuit of the Nicklaus mark, the Masters will get under way Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Forecasters called for 30 percent of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon Thursday and again Friday. The weather is expected to be ideal on the weekend.
There will be a field of 93 players on hand, including 19 former winners, 33 major championship titleholders, six amateurs and 17 competitors who have never played in the Masters before. – UPI
