- Speculation is growing that
Tiger Woods could make his return to golf atthe Masters next week. - On Tuesday, he played 18 holes at
Augusta National , ESPN reported.
Tiger Woods played 18 holes at Augusta National on Tuesday, ESPN reported, adding fuel to rumors that he is aiming for a glorious return to pro golf at the 2022 Masters.
Woods hasn't played on the PGA Tour since the 2020 Masters. There were fears that he may never play at the elite level again after he was involved in a car crash in February 2021.
The crash, which happened the morning after the conclusion of the Genesis Invitational tournament in Los Angeles, saw Woods sustain severe leg injuries. He also lost his right leg after the crash, he told reporters in November 2021.
Since carrying out an extensive rehabilitation programme, Woods has been clear that he intends return to pro golf, but that he will play just a handful of tournaments each year going forward. His return is expected at some point in 2022, but it was generally thought until recent days that the Masters, which begins on April 7, would be too soon.
Since the start of the week, however, speculation has grown that Woods will indeed compete in the tournament, which he has won five times, most recently in 2019.
ESPN reported Tuesday evening that Woods played a full 18-hole round at Augusta National, the Masters venue, alongside his son Charlie and world number seven ranked Justin Thomas.
"He played every one of them," ESPN cited a source as saying. "He looked good to me."
Sports Illustrated reported that Woods played Augusta to "assess whether he will be fit to compete in the tournament next week."
Earlier Tuesday, rumors had swirled about Woods travelling to Augusta, with popular golf podcast "No Laying Up" tweeting an image of a flight tracker showing Woods' jet flying from Florida to Georgia. Video footage later in the day showed the jet at Augusta's local airport.
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Woods' trip to Augusta comes after many people on social media noticed that he was still listed on the Masters' website as a 2022 player and not as a non-playing former champion.
While it remains unclear whether Woods actually intends to play at the 2022 Masters, it is certainly noteworthy that he is in town just over a week before the tournament, and even more noteworthy that he played a full 18.
Given Woods' history at Augusta — where he won his first major in 1997, and where he pulled off a stunning comeback victory in 2019 to win his first major in 11 years — a return to golf at the legendary course would certainly make sense.