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Tiger Woods will be making his grand return to Augusta National at The Masters next week, but it sounds like he’ll be facing an uphill battle based on what Notah Begay III said about an ankle issue he’s still struggling to overcome.
It’s been more than three years since Tiger Woods was involved in the car crash that resulted in multiple fractures that led to serious discussions about the potential amputation of his right leg. He thankfully managed to stage a fairly miraculous comeback, but it’s very evident he’s still struggling to overcome that setback.
Tiger’s most recent win on the PGA Tour transpired at the Zozo Championship in Japan toward the end of 2019, a year where he secured his fifth green jacket at The Masters 14 years after his last victory at Augusta National.
Woods made his grand return to that iconic course in 2022 and ultimately finished in 47th place. He headed back down to Georgia last year, but he decided to withdraw after the second round due to inflammation in his heel.
Fans were understandably concerned when he dropped out of the Genesis Invitational midway through his second round earlier this year, although we got some relatively good news when he said it was the flu that led to that decision as opposed to a chronic injury.
Tiger is a +16000 longshot to win The Masters this year thanks in no small part to those health concerns, and during a recent conversation with USA Today, his longtime friend (and former Stanford roommate) Notah Begay III outlined what Woods is grappling with as he prepares for the latest edition of A Tradition Unlike Any Other.
Begay says Woods currently has “zero mobility” in his left ankle and notes that’s led to increased strain on his body that’s largely been manifested through issues with his lower back. He added he’s concerned about Tiger’s ability to navigate the course at Augusta National under his own power, saying:
“He can play the golf. We always knew the question was going to be ‘Can he walk the 72?’ That’s still up in the air.
But can he recover, from one round to the next? That’s the biggest question that I really don’t know and he’s not going to know either until he gets out there and figures out whether the way he’s prepared for this year’s Masters is going to work for him.”
Woods would almost assuredly be granted an exemption to use a golf cart if he so desired, and while he’s stated he’s looking forward to taking advantage of that amenity when he’s eligible for the Champions Tour, he’s made it clear he has no interest in doing so during PGA Tour events.