Tiger Woods had a significant amount of time to prepare, precisely 55 days from his last PGA Tour round at the Genesis Invitational in February until his first round at the 88th Masters tournament this week. However, he did not have as much preparation between his initial and second rounds at The Masters.
Due to bad weather causing a delay in the start of the opening round, Woods’ scheduled tee time on Thursday was moved back to 3:54 p.m. Therefore, he and his fellow golfers Max Homa and Jason Day were only able to finish thirteen holes before it became too dark. They resumed their first round at 7:50 a.m. on Friday amidst chilly winds and played five remaining holes in one hour thirty-six minutes. At precisely9:26a.m., after securing abogey5on hole18,Woods registered an over par score of73anda totalof fifty-twominutes top repare forhis secondround ahead
Having less than an hour between rounds may seem insignificant to some, especially if it’s a regular occurrence at your club or during a yearly golf trip with friends. However, this scenario becomes much more difficult when you have undergone multiple surgeries such as five microdisectomies on your back and knee surgeries along with screws and pins in one of your ankles. In fact, quick turnaround would be particularly challenging for anyone but unlikely under the circumstances posed by Masters Friday at Augusta National – unless that person is named Tiger Woods who represents half professional golfer-half medical miracle given his post-injury performance.
Astonishingly enough he not only completes the course without issues but also manages birdie performances despite apparent physical discomfort witnessed through creaking while walking around followed by squeaks observed throughout-swing shots naturally leading him wakeful from 04:30 A.M onwards focused nurturing conditioning specifically meant for early-day tee-time requirements typical of pro-golf tournaments like these brought about anew every year aiming perfectionism relentlessly pursued till glory achieved amidst tonsured grasses beneath sunny skies- The enthusiast’s dream!
How can a player who usually spends hours, days or even weeks preparing for a game manage to make the most of limited prep time equivalent to roasting a small chicken?
Woods successfully finished his round by removing his cap and shaking hands with fellow golfers, as well as their caddies. He walked towards the back of the green where he was met by enthusiastic fans calling out to him amidst a group seven or eight deep. In less than two minutes, Woods had made it from hole 18 to scoring while accompanied by Mark Steinberg -his agent- holding on tightly at this side after signing for his scorecard which was checked thoroughly. Reporters waiting within an interview pen were hopeful that they could interact with Woods; however, he chose not to speak any words but opted instead just staying active until disappearing away down some walkway situated right beside scoring area itself!
At 9:41, Woods and his team consisting of new caddie Lance Bennett and right-hand man Rob McNamara were situated on the nearly empty practice range’s far left side. Their primary objective was to input second-round pin locations into their yardage books which consumed almost six minutes flipping through papers while taking notes. Positioned beside Wood’s golf bag rested a water bottle adjacent to a container filled with snacks.
Woods revealed a supportive patch attached to his lower back by loosening his belt and unbuttoning his pants at precisely 9:44. He proceeded to rub Icy Hot, which appeared like topical pain relief cream, over the area around his waist and lower spine with ease like applying lotion while sunbathing. After Woods had completed this task, Bennett rinsed off Woods’ hands using water.
Woods retrieved a wedge from his golf bag, noting that it was 31 minutes past his scheduled starting time at exactly 9:47. Despite the challenging face wind ahead of him, he hit five balls toward a tiny flag less than forty yards away. He followed with two more shots aimed toward another flag located between sixty and seventy yards distance. On Woods’ eighth swing using the same club, he focused on hitting towards an elevated green roughly positioned around seventy-five yards out in front of him before taking three additional swings when pausing briefly to stretch his back afterward.
Woods finished his wedge work and then reached for what looked like an 8- or 9-iron from his bag. He proceeded to hit ten balls onto the vast green field before he took his eleventh swing, where McNamara approached him with an iron guide that he positioned at Woods’ swing’s lowest point. Using this tool, Woods swung six more times.
At 9:50, the range was becoming more crowded as Erik van Rooyen walked past Woods. Additionally, Cameron Young and Jimmy Dunne – an Augusta National member and PGA Tour dealmaker dressed in his green jacket – passed by. Nevertheless, Woods prioritized practice over idle chatter during this limited time frame. Homa, one of his playing partners who stationed six spots away from him on the range began to warm up at this point instead.
After pausing for a minute, Woods continued playing with his mid-iron. He took two swings before switching to the fairway wood and taking another couple of swings. Eventually, he removed the iconic tiger head cover from his driver which required four more swings. Meanwhile, Bennett was munching on some delicious fried chicken sandwich without any interruption.
With just 20 minutes left before go-time at 9:58, Woods took one last swing using a wedge. Shortly after two minutes have passed, he left the range and got on a golf cart with McNamara to his right while Bennett rode shotgun as they drove towards their next destination – the practice green located by the first tee.
When the reporter finally caught up with Woods, he was skillfully sinking uphill 40-foot putts onto the green while a large crowd of spectators gathered around to catch a glimpse of the five-time winner. Prior to attempting some shorter putts, Woods would raise his ball up to his eye and then drop it down again in order to properly align himself over it. At precisely 10:13 AM, Woods joined fellow golfers Homa and Day on the tee as fans like ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and former NBA player turned college golfer J.R Smith eagerly watched on from amongst them.
After four practice swings with his driver, Woods halted and proceeded to take seven additional ones. He then bent over to stretch out his back before taking an extra five rehearsal swings while reminding himself to remain limber.
Within 52 minutes between Masters rounds, Tiger Woods accomplished the following activities.
With a gap of 55 days, Tiger Woods had ample preparation time from his last competitive round at the Genesis Invitational in February to his first round at this week’s 88th Masters tournament. However, he did not have the luxury of preparing much for the second Masters round following his initial one.
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the commencement of the opening round was postponed. As a result, Woods’ initial tee time on Thursday got rescheduled for 3:54 p.m., which meant that he and his fellow players Max Homa and Jason Day had only managed to complete thirteen holes before nighttime arrived. The trio resumed their first round at 7:50 a.m. Friday amidst chilly winds but finished off their remaining five holes in one hour and thirty-six minutes. When Woods concluded with a bogey 5 on hole eighteen at precisely 9:26 am, his scorecard displayed an unfortunate single-over-par tally of seventy-three strokes – providing him exactly fifty-two minutes until he would be ready for taking part in his second round this tournament’s events!
Possibly, having less than an hour break between rounds isn’t a big deal for you. You might regularly do it at your club or during your yearly 36-hole daily buddies’ excursion. However, chances are that you have not undergone five microdisectomies on the back, multiple knee surgeries plus screws and pins in one ankle with subtalar fusion to tackle post-traumatic arthritis – least of all doing quick turnarounds like this Masters Friday held annually at Augusta National Golf Club. Then again there’s Tiger Woods- who appears to be part-golfer and part-medical marvel given his situation. It is indeed unbelievable how he can maneuver through such a course while still scoring birdies knowing well that he creaks when walking and even squeaks while swinging clubs; explains why waking up early by 4:30 am sharp helps him prime his body better before commencing morning tee times!
Therefore, how can a player who typically spends hours, days or even weeks preparing for a game utilize minimal prep time equivalent to roasting a small chicken?
Woods cleaned up his bogey on the 18th hole before removing his cap and shaking hands with playing partners along with their caddies. He headed towards the back of the green amidst a bustling crowd, calling out to him as he made way through them. In no time, Woods reached scoring after crossing over from home hole to clubhouse before reappearing at precisely 9:35 alongside Mark Steinberg-his agent- who had duly checked and signed off card details beforehand. Meanwhile, reporters gathered in an interview pen eagerly awaiting any comment which Woods might have offered but were left disappointed when he declined by moving quickly down walkway just right of scoring without stopping for anything or anyone else around him!
At 9:41 AM, Woods stood on the empty practice range’s far left side accompanied by his new caddie,Lance Bennett and assistant, Rob McNamara. Their initial objective was to note down the second-round pin locations in their yardage books which took around six minutes of examining papers and scribbling notes. Adjacent to Woods’ bag rested a water bottle alongside a plastic container enclosed with some snacks.
At precisely 9:44, Woods undid his pants and loosened his belt to uncover a supportive adhesive patch on the lower region of his back. He then proceeded to massage Icy Hot – an anti-inflammatory cream- onto both sides of his waist in the same way that he would apply sunscreen at the seaside. Following this procedure, Bennett washed Woods’ hands with water as hygiene precautionary measures.
Woods retrieved a wedge from his golf bag as the clock struck 9:47, leaving him with 31 minutes until his scheduled start time. Despite facing a strong headwind, he confidently hit five balls toward a mini-flag located just within 40 yards of him before moving on to another flag appearing at roughly double the distance.
Continuing onward and still carrying that same trusty wedge club in hand for each stroke, Woods shifted focus towards an ambitious challenge – aiming straight for green situated some 75 yards away. After three more swings however, he decided it prudent to take pause momentarily and stretch out any kinks or discomfort present in his back muscles prior to continuing forward anew.
After completing his wedge shots, Woods reached for his bag and retrieved what seemed to be an 8- or 9-iron. He proceeded to hit ten balls across the lush green expanse before preparing for another swing. Just as he was about to take this eleventh shot, McNamara approached him with an iron guide and positioned it in line with Woods’ optimal swing path. With this useful tool at hand, Woods took six more swings towards perfection.
At 9:50, the range began to fill up with people. Woods was passed by Erik van Rooyen, Cameron Young, and Jimmy Dunne – an Augusta National member and PGA Tour dealmaker who looked impressive in his green jacket. Despite their presence, however, Woods didn’t have much time or desire for chitchatting as he focused on getting some practice done. Homa had joined him six spots away from where they were both warming up for their upcoming game.
Woods paused for a one-minute breather before continuing with his mid-iron. He swung twice and then switched to a fairway wood, taking two more swings. After that, he removed the renowned tiger head cover from his club and picked up the driver. Four vigorous swings later, Bennett was caught chomping on a sandwich made of fried chicken.
At 9:58, which was just 20 minutes before the go-time, Woods used a wedge for one last swing. Within two minutes of that momentous stroke, he left the range and sat at the back of a golf cart alongside McNamara on his right while Bennett rode shotgun beside him. Their subsequent destination would be the practice green adjoining with their first tee place.
When the reporter finally caught up with Woods, he was skillfully hitting 40-foot uphill putts on the green while a crowd of fans gathered around him. They all wanted to catch a glimpse of the five-time winner wearing his signature green jacket. Before attempting shorter shots, Woods held his ball to eye level and let it drop onto the turf as part of an exercise for better alignment. At precisely 10:13 am, Woods joined Homa and Day on the tee box where attendees such as Scott Van Pelt from ESPN and retired NBA player-turned-college golfer J.R Smith were straining their necks in hopes for an unobstructed view.
After taking four practice swings with his driver, Woods paused before proceeding to take an additional seven. He then bent over and stretched his back muscles before continuing with five more rehearsal swings while repeatedly reminding himself to stay loose.