There’s nothing like a possible sports comeback story to get fans and the media all keyed up.
And there’s nothing quite like Tiger Woods being in the Masters spotlight again as arguably golf’s most prestigious tournament unfolds this week. In the backdrop of all the tradition and prestige, the media lenses and keyboards as well as golf fans’ attention will be on Woods, who has reportedly retooled his swing and mind-set for a charge at another green jacket.
He’s won at Augusta four times before but his last win, in 2005, seems such a long time ago.
Recently revealing he was also quite mortal, his game crashed to also-ran depths, including an unimaginable round of 82 in one tournament. To an extent, he became like most of us who struggle with this magnificent game: Worrying about physical pain and thinking too much whether the swing was in place or needed tweaking.
There was a time he would dominate the field and it all looked so natural. The tiger was always on the prowl and the lesser beings in the jungle would shudder and mess up their own games.
That’s why the sports media following Augusta this weekend will hunt for Tiger.
Of course, the other story is Rory McIlroy and his Grand Slam attempt to win all the majors of the season. A footnote on this is that McIlroy could also end a 16-year European drought in the Masters. Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal was the last European to win the title, in 1999.
Then there’s defending champion Bubba Watson, who probably swings like many amateur weekend players you see on your fairways, who wants to win again.
But, no, the story that’s juicier is Tiger and whether he stumbles or succeeds is exactly what golf fans want to find out.
The question is, is it still possible for Tiger to recover his once brilliant game after going through a messy family situation and not really dominating the game as he did before?
How hard can it be, a skeptic may ask. But do not for one moment think that golf does not pose any physical challenge because it looks like you hit an unmoving little white ball and then walk to it and strike it some more.
Remember that golf tournaments run for four days and in the first two, you need a decent score that allows you to play the next two. Golf carts are not allowed and you do walk a lengthy distance in the heat of the sun or a manageable drizzle.
And you’re thinking of each shot, as the object of the game is to have fewer strokes than the rest of the field. The fewer shots it takes you to put the ball in the hole the better. It’s never easy as the course offers a myriad of challenges. And tournament play has no handicap or betting advantages or pluses.
It’s every golfer to himself in Augusta and Woods will have no teammates or substitutes as he makes his comeback. Whether he succeeds or fails, the attempt will probably be definitive and determine how the rest of his career will go.