Tiger's "Comeback"

A lot of rumors are starting to circulate that Tiger Woods is going to start his "comeback" to golf at Augusta National for the Masters in a few weeks. I'm going to state right now that if this is true it makes me very happy. I also find it hard to call it a comeback when Tiger has maybe missed 3-4 of his usual tournaments since his car crash in November and his dirty laundry going public.

I think a lot of people are calling this a comeback because of all he has encountered over the past 5 months. But Tiger missed more time in 2008-2009 because of knee surgery. Some are questioning whether he will be a contender at the Masters this year because he hasn't had a warm up tournament, did everyone forget he won the 2008 US Open on one leg.

Tiger woods made golf relevant. I still have a poster of him eying down a put from his first Master's victory in 1997. The intensity at which he plays the game is amazing, when you watch him play nothing surprises you anymore, because its all in the realm of possibility. Phil Michelson and the other guys on the tour, when they do something amazing you still act surprised, but Tiger does it and its all in a days work. But it's knowing we are watching greatness that keeps bringing us back to watching him walk 18 on a Sunday with his Red Shirt, Black pants, and Black Nike Swoosh hat. Its turning on CBS or ESPN and hearing Tiger is only 3 shots back with 4 holes to play and knowing he has a shot at winning that keeps us watching. Anyone who has watched golf in the last 15 years can tell you about watching Tiger do something amazing and that's what's going to keep us tuning in when he does step back on the golf course. If Tiger decides to step back on at Augusta where he won his first Major and has 4 Green Jackets to boot, then people will tune in. Tiger also wouldn't enter a tournament he didn't think he could win. That's why I think Augusta makes sense, the course is familiar to him, he knows he can win there and when he does nobody will be talking about his mistresses and sex addiction. They will be talking about his 5th Green Jacket and how he only needs 3 more major championships to tie The Golden Bear, they will start talking about him as the Greatest Golfer to play the game again and Tiger Woods the Adulterer will begin to fall to the wayside.

Some people are saying Tiger is choosing Augusta because of the restrictions and the Pomp and Circumstance of the event. Only certain press is allowed on site, meaning no TMZ or National Inquirer representatives will be there, the press does not have access to the locker room. Tiger is a member so the club will protect him. Also tickets are not sold to just anyone, they get passed down within families from generation to generation if someone wants to heckle Tiger they could loose there pass for good, not just get removed for the day. While these issues may be part of Tiger's decision it comes down to him being comfortable at Augusta and I think he is considering he has had more success at this Major then the other three, except the PGA Championship.

Tiger has overcome a lot through the years, his father died and he came back to win the British Open and he barely used his Driver, he tore his ACL and MCL in his knee and won the US Open, now he has to overcome a new kind of adversity, something he isn't used to, the world knowing his private buisness and the media digging through his life. All I know is that I am excited for the return of Tiger, he is always fun to watch and I'm thinking come Sunday April 11th, Tiger will be walking up the fairway on 18 to putt for the win.