If there is one person Tiger Woods looks up to (and no, I'm not thinking Wilt Chamberlain) it is Jack Nicklaus. As the famous story goes, when Tiger was younger he hung
So, when Jack speaks, Tiger normally listens and that's why I think the recent announcement that Nicklaus thinks Tiger will be in the Masters field means Tiger will most likely be in the Masters field.
"I suspect he'll play something before Augusta," Nicklaus said behind the 18th green at PGA National, where the Honda Classic opens on Thursday. "Your guess is as good as mine. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't play something before Augusta."
As I pointed out over at Devil Ball, Tiger has until 5 PM on Friday to sign up for the CA Championship that begins next week, but has plenty of time to prepare for Bay Hill, which would be the most likely return if he is going to be at Augusta National.
Tiger has always made it known that he'd never play a tournament unless he felt he could win, and while these circumstances are very different than his previous problems, he still isn't going to Augusta without a feel that he could conquer the field.
That said, Charles Howell III was hitting balls next to Tiger the other day and said he looked great and was hitting the ball like he always does (Note: Very good), it just goes back to that "tournament form" that most golfers don't totally understand. Hitting good shots on the range is one thing, being ready for a tournament is a whole other beast.
But, as we know, if there is one golfer that could do it, it's TW.
* - for the record, I could have made another sex joke there, but decided two in one paragraph is plenty. That horse has been hit so many times it looks like roadkill.
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