[Masters] Woods "Practice, Practice Again"..."Goal is Victory"

Ahead of the 'Myeongin Yeoljeon' Masters Opening on the Night of the 7th, Record-Breaking Practice Round Completed, Final Variable is Weather

Tiger Woods is taking a shot on the 18th hole during a practice round ahead of the Masters. Augusta, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Practice, and more practice."

The 'Returned Golf Emperor' Tiger Woods is practicing daily ahead of the opening 2022 season major, the Masters, which begins on the night of the 7th (Korean time) at Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,510 yards) in Georgia, USA. On this day, he played 9 holes with Justin Thomas and Fred Couples (both from the USA). This marks his return to the PGA Tour after a long hiatus of 1 year and 5 months since the 'Autumn Masters' in November 2020.

Last February, he suffered serious injuries including fractures in both legs due to a car accident in Los Angeles, California, and spent three months bedridden before undergoing a phased rehabilitation process involving a wheelchair and crutches. It is actually surprising that he has even held a golf club again. In December last year, Woods and his son Charlie finished as runners-up in the 'Family Competition' PNC Championship. Although it was a two-person scramble event where each player tees off and the next shot is played from the better position, Woods impressed with a 10-under par on the first day and an incredible 15-under par on the final day.

Tiger Woods is teeing off on the 18th hole during a practice round ahead of the Masters. Augusta, USA = Getty Images / Multibitz

The Masters is on a completely different level. This is why Woods is meticulously checking his condition through historic practice rounds. So far, his driving range and practice rounds have been satisfactory. His long drives have exceeded 300 yards with a high fairway hit rate, and his short game already boasts accuracy comparable to his prime. The issue is his physical condition. Woods himself admitted at a press conference, "As you know, Augusta National has severe ups and downs," and said, "The biggest challenge is walking all 72 holes."

Experts have analyzed that "considering he still cannot put power into his legs, he has changed to an upper-body focused swing." Fortunately for Woods, he has a proven 'Augusta winning strategy' with five victories including back-to-back wins in 1997 and 2001-2002, as well as wins in 2005 and 2019. The problem is the weather. Rain or cold makes walking even more difficult. According to weather forecasts, the first round morning will have rain, but Woods' afternoon play is expected to be sunny. Strong winds will be a variable in the second round.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.