Getty Tiger Woods is favored to win the Masters
Fans looking to see Tiger Woods continue his hot streak will likely have to wait for Augusta to see Woods back on the links. At the beginning of March, Woods tweeted out his intention to play at the Valspar Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“After a good recovery week I’m committing to play in the @ValsparChamp and @APinv next two weeks,” Woods tweeted.
Woods is not playing in this weekend’s WGC Championship in Austin, and he traditionally skips the Houston Open the weekend before the Masters. The 2018 Masters runs from April 5-8. Woods is tied for second in the latest Masters odds.
Woods is looking for his first tournament win since 2013, but has had a hot start to 2018. Woods will head to Augusta coming off back-to-back top five finishes, placing fifth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational along with his second place finish at the Valspar Championship. Woods also finished 12th at the Honda Classic at the end of February as he strung together three solid runs.
After a disappointing few years, Woods credits his health to his re-emergence atop the leaderboard. While Woods admits his body is no longer able to do some of the things he did early in his career, his back has fully healed allowing him to compete at a high level. Woods detailed his back injury in an interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith.
“For the better part of four to six months, I had to be helped out of bed every day,” Woods told Smith (via Sports Illustrated). “And there were some days where you’d help me and I couldn’t stand up. I’d have to either just fall to the floor or just stay in bed.”
Despite his recent success, nothing compares to Augusta as Woods plans on playing in the Masters for the first time in years. Woods admitted to The Augusta Chronicle that is has been difficult missing the tournament, and explained why he loves playing in the Masters.
“Frustrating, very frustrating, because I love playing Augusta National,” Woods told The Augusta Chronicle. “I love it. And I know how to play it. Sometimes I don’t play it well, but I know how to play it. I just love being out there on those greens and hitting putts and being creative. It is … there’s no other golf course like it in the world and there’s no other golf tournament like it. It is literally, it’s a player’s heaven. And yeah, the last couple dinners have been frustrating in that aspect for sure.”
The Masters will mark his sixth tournament of 2018. According to ESPN, if Woods can move up one spot in the odds, the 2018 Masters would mark the first tournament he has been favored in since the 2014 Honda Classic. Woods will look to add his fifth green jacket to his collection.
“It was a great two weeks of being in contention again. I feel like I’m getting a little better. Great playing by Rory today to win at the King’s place. Arnie would have been proud of golf today and the charges!!!” Woods tweeted after his performance at Bay Hill.
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Tiger Woods Schedule: When Is His Next Event?