It’s Time For Tiger To Play His Final Masters

By: Ryanne N. Howard

As players arrive in Augusta to play practice rounds for the Masters, one golfer on everyone’s must-watch list is not scheduled to play. Golf legend Tiger Woods is expected to make a game-time decision on whether to enroll his name on the Masters' roster. With only three days until tee-off, is it worth it for Tiger to return to competition?

Tiger Woods at Augusta National Golf Club Photo Credit Gregory Shamus

In an interview Monday at the Augusta National clubhouse, fellow PGA player Brooks Koepka had this to say about Woods returning to the course to practice.

"I'm happy he's becoming healthier and able to play golf. We need him; the game needs him, everybody needs him, the fans need him -- all that stuff. But, at the end of the day, everybody is just out here competing. I'm worried about myself, and I'm sure everybody else is worried about themselves,”

To understand his decision-making, one must retrace the steps Woods took to end up in this situation. After a few short months of returning to the PGA Tour, Woods was involved in a brutal car accident in February 2021. The crash sent shockwaves through the sports world after reports were made that Woods was seriously injured. While driving outside of Los Angeles, the golf champion lost control of his SUV, causing the vehicle to roll over into a nearby ditch.

Many wondered if Woods would ever play professional golf again. According to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center staff, Dr. Anish Mahajan reported Woods suffered "significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity" and had emergency surgery for "open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portion of the tibia and fibula bones." However, it was not until one year later that the champion noted that his injuries almost warranted his leg to be amputated.

A looming question in fans the players' minds is if Woods has made a full recovery. After months of physical therapy and training, Woods returned to the PGA Tour playing in the PNC Championship accompanied by his 12-year-old son Charlie. The Woods team made headlines after the two took second place in the tournament.

If Woods were to make a return to competing, he would face a pool of opponents younger and more in shape. The last time Woods played at an official tournament was the 2020 fall Masters. While it would surely be an epic moment in sports for the goat to vie for another green jacket, in all reality, Woods is not matching the competitive level of his adversaries.

In a field of 90, The Masters consists of a lot of heavy hitters. After winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scottie Scheffler is the new world no. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Another player that should be on everyone’s radar is a former top-rank champion, Jon Rahm. Rahm has finished in the top 10 for the past four tournaments, making him a strong contender for a green jacket.

There is no denying the magnitude of what it means for Woods to step on the Augusta National course. However, the player has to consider if this is the best career move for him. While it would be a fantastic comeback story, I would like to see Tiger make a full recovery before committing to play.

So what should one of the greatest golfers of all time do instead of competing?

This is a perfect time in his career to start commentating on the game and focus on his philanthropy work. Like most great sportspeople of the past, there comes a time in their career when they have to realize that they need to transition to another aspect of the game. Take a look at basketball stars Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal or football analytics Tony Romo and Troy Aikman.

With over 20 years of playing professional golf, Woods can deliver insightful commentary to the tour. He has so much wisdom and energy that can bring in a new era of golf fanatics. Golf Channel can easily add him to the lineup of commentators or let him be a guest speaker during the Masters. All eyes are on him right now. Woods can flip the script to draw more people into watching the championship.

Woods has had a full career in the world of golf with extreme highs and lows. From winning the winning championships in high iconic red and black attire to being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in March. Tables turned in 2009 when his accolades were clouded by controversy pertaining to an affair scandal. Woods proved to the world that he was able to come out of retirement. Let the past speak for itself and open a new chapter in Woods’ career.