Tiger Woods is a year removed from improbably playing in the 2022 Masters following the 2021 car accident that required surgery on his leg.
He'll be teeing it up at Augusta National once again in 2023, but more removed from his surgery, he's hoping to finish better than 47th in the field as he did last year.
While addressing media Tuesday, Woods talked about the shape he's in for this year's tournament compared to last year, and he touched on things that are both better and worse than they were in 2022.
"I think that my game is better than it was last year at this particular time," Woods said. "My endurance is better, but it aches a little bit more than it did last year. Just because at that particular time when I came back I really hadn't pushed it that often. And I had a little window in which I did push and I was able to come back."
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Woods hasn't played a full schedule the past few years, opting to participate mostly in majors and tournaments he hosts. He withdrew from the 2022 PGA Championship and missed the cut at the Open Championship. This year he played at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, where he tied for 45th at 1-under.
"Well, fast-forwarding, I didn't really play a whole lot afterwards," he said. "I took a little bit to recover from the event. I played in February at L.A. and took a little time off before getting ready for this. I just have to be cognizant of how much I can push it. Rory (McIlroy) was saying that 'I can hit a lot of shots.' But the difficulty for me is gonna be the walking going forward. It is what it is. I wish it could be easier. I get three more years 'till I get a little buggy. And be out there with Fred (Couples). But until then no buggy."
Woods, who will be 50 in three years, has apparently changed his tune a bit on the buggy.
“No," he said of the possibility of using a golf cart for the Masters last year. "I wouldn’t, no. No. Absolutely not. Not for a PGA Tour event, no. That’s just not who I am…That’s not how I’ve always been, and if I can’t play at that level, I can’t play at that level.”
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When Woods talks about using the buggy, he was likely talking about the PGA Tour Champions, where carts are less frowned upon.
This year, however, it's back to walking the course. Over 72 holes, it's going to be a long weekend. But he seems to know where he stands with regards to his health. Although his game is better, he clearly knows it's not going to be easy to walk Augusta once again.
