While The Masters has always been the crown jewel of the U.S. golf season, this year’s tournament at Augusta National may draw even more attention than usual.
That’s because Tiger Woods is part of the roster for the first time since 2014. And what’s more -- some say he has a shot at winning!
“[This] would be the all-time greatest individual athlete comeback,” said Charles Curtis, writer at “For The Win.” “Think about where Tiger’s been. He was at the top of the world for so long as one of maybe the greatest golfers to ever play the game.”
Then came the fall from grace. His personal life was splashed across the tabloids and he had several surgeries for injuries to his knee and back that pulled him out of the game for years.
Now, he has the opportunity to claw his way out of the depths.
“For him to...come back from all that would be, I think, even better than what Lance Armstrong did,” said Curtis.
Woods got through four rounds at a tournament in December pain-free. Curtis said that’s a major accomplishment for someone who said, “couldn’t get out of bed some days.”
The former world #1 has also been making headway at other events, including the Valspar Championship where he finished second.
“Even though his swing’s a little bit different than it was during his prime, he looks like somebody who could win a golf tournament.”
Woods’ return is so eagerly watched that in the past few weeks, Curtis says, golf tournaments have garnered more interest.
The Masters kicks off Thursday and goes on through Sunday.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/tiger-woods-roars-back).
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The drama surrounding tennis star Novak Djokovic continues after he was deported from Australia over the weekend due to the nation's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Djokovic was forced to leave the country on the eve of what was to be his first match in defense of his Australian Open title after three judges ruled in favor of his removal and revealed their reasoning for doing so. Adding to his woes, a law recently passed in France is putting his chances of defending his French Open title in jeopardy. The director of Marist's Center for Sports Communication, Jane McManus, joined Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fallout.
