Tiger Woods may indeed be a cat with nine lives.

Not dishonesty, infidelity or irresponsibility can keep our most popular golfer from losing any of his enormous appeal… about 17 months after a car accident, in which he was speeding and driving recklessly, and was charged for neither.

Despite saying his doctors told him they might have to amputate his mangled right leg in the downhill crash in California, Woods returned to the PGA Tour a full year ahead of schedule at, where else, the Masters. The owner of five green jackets didn’t play a competitive round unless you count a charming father-son event.

Thursday, he walked 18 holes and all the hills of Augusta National and shot a one-under par 71. Well-known PGA pros like Bryson DeChambeau, Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Thomas and Justin Rose, all healthy and hearty stars of the game, were five shots behind Tiger.

Aside from a slight limp that got noticeably worse as the round went on, Woods looked more like a 46-year-old version of his greater self than an older, injured has-been. He is not quite as long off the tee, or accurate after missing 10 fairways, but his short game was up-and-down good enough to salvage enough pars to keep him on pace.

He made three birdies, the last one on the tough No. 17 par four with a long curling putt that went in dead center. It elicited his only fist pump of the day that will surely get more demonstrative in the rounds to follow as he tries to make the cut and then win a sixth sport coat that you wouldn’t wear except for at various Masters events.

The big question, as commentators wondered, was whether Woods would go back to the range to work on parts of his game he didn’t like, or report immediately to his doctor, trainer, massage therapist and girlfriend… in that order.

He finished an amazing three shots behind leader Cameron Smith, close enough to command another gargantuan gallery and get him to the weekend. His last Masters in 2020, he finished 38th.

How Tiger feels in the morning is the big question. He has an afternoon tee time, so there are plenty of hours to get ready for a second grueling day on the links, hoping it is not a good walk spoiled. His millions of fans wouldn’t want that, good for him or not.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Charlie Riedel

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