Tiger Woods says Augusta National is a “player’s heaven” as he bids for a 15th major title a decade after his last Grand Slam victory.
Since his 2008 US Open triumph at Torrey Pines took his tally of majors titles to 14, injuries and well-publicised personal woes have taken a toll, raising doubts that he would ever surpass Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles.
Woods won Masters titles in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005, but his last top-10 finish at Augusta National was a tie for fourth in 2013.
Woods says he missed the “rush” of competing for a Green Jacket as back trouble sidelined him in 2016 and 2017.
Now playing without pain after spinal fusion surgery last April, Woods is relishing a return to the storied Georgia course.
“Just being out there on those greens, hitting putts and being creative, there’s no other golf course like it in the world and there’s no other golf tournament like it,” Woods said. “It’s a players’ heaven.”
Two players have claimed major wins 10 years apart — most recently Ernie Els at the 2002 and 2012 British Opens.
Woods, with a runner-up finish at the Valspar Championship and a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is trying to match that feat after months in which he needed help just to get out of bed.
“I still feel like I’m coming back, I’m still getting used to what my body can do, shots I’m hitting and playing, competing again,” he said. “It feels good to be back out there.”
McIlroy won the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and the 2014 British Open and owns top-10 Masters finishes the past four years, but will need to improve on his best showing of fourth in 2015 to earn a place alongside Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.
“I’m in a position where I can join that club and I would love to,” McIlroy said. “I only get one opportunity a year at Augusta. I’ve played well. Not well enough. Hopefully I put the last piece of the puzzle in there this year and get it done.”
It’s a rare moment in golf as Phil Mickelson tries to win the US Open to complete a career Slam after six runner-up finishes and Jordan Spieth tries to complete the career Slam with a PGA Championship title.
“Golf’s in a great place,” McIlroy said. “I feel like it’s exciting times. Obviously I’m glad to be a part of that conversation, get the first shot.”
Mickelson, whose five major titles include Masters victories in 2004, 2006 and 2010, seized his first title in nearly five years with a triumph in the WGC Mexico Championship on March 4.
Now the 47-year-old US left-hander goes into the Masters without a shroud of doubt hanging over him.
“I needed to get a win before Augusta, so I wasn’t trying to win for the first time in four and a half years at that event,” he said.
Mickelson acknowledged that the barren years since his 2013 British Open triumph at Muirfield had their low points, but he never lost faith.
“I knew that wasn’t going to be my last one,” Mickelson said of the ’13 British Open. “And this isn’t either.”
