Tiger Woods Arrives At Augusta To Begin Masters Preparations

Any lingering questions of whether Tiger Woods will be featuring at The Masters this year were put to bed on Sunday when he arrived at Augusta National for an initial prowl around the property.

The five-time Green Jacket winner made a low-key entrance down Magnolia Lane and began some targeted practice ahead of what will be his 25th Masters appearance.

Woods has had two of the most remarkable appearances of his career at Augusta, winning in 2019 and perhaps an even greater achievement in playing all four rounds last year on his return to competitive golf while still dealing with his horrific leg injuries.

The 47-year-old is still struggling to actually get around the golf course, but he is convinced he can still play all the shots - and one place where he feels he can still challenge is around the familiar surroundings at Augusta.

The 15-time Major champion arrived just after 3pm on Sunday and spent 45 minutes on the range, according to the Masters official website - hitting alongside Jason Day before having a chat with Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.

Woods then went out on the course with just a selection of wedges and his putter - opting against the stress and strain of the long game and focusing on chipping, pitching and putting which can be so crucial in the first Major of the year.

Still walking with a noticeable limp, Woods' big challenge this week is to get in enough preparation without putting too much strain on the damaged leg and ankle that requires so much treatment to get him through a tournament.

With the hills of Augusta one of the toughest walks in golf, it will be some effort if Woods can not only play well enough to make the cut again as he somehow did last year, but also manage his body well enough to be able to complete the week.

However, having been last seen at The Genesis Invitational in February, the American was encouraged by the progress he made at Riviera. 

Speaking at the time, he said: "It's progress, headed in the right direction, yes. It certainly was a little bit more difficult than I probably let on. My team has been fantastic in getting my body recovered day to day and getting me ready to play each and every day."

It comes as no surprise that the American will feature at Augusta National, as he is listed on the interview schedule at the Masters for Tuesday 4th April, alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and defending champion Scottie Scheffler.

Tiger will be making his 25th career start at the Masters this week, as he looks to improve on his 47th place finish from last year. In 2022, he fired rounds of 71, 74, 78 and 78.