CNN
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The footage rapidly unfold on social media, as this stuff typically do. Tiger Woods gingerly strolling in the direction of his caddie after an method shot, seven cautious steps within the depressing Augusta rain which instructed us extra concerning the “limitations” Woods says he faces than phrases ever might.
He didn’t grimace – a single-minded champion like Woods wouldn’t – however a lot watching the clip would have as they noticed him struggling to stroll. He was nearly managing to play the sport he had as soon as dominated.
At this level, Woods was nine-over at The Masters, dropping photographs at practically each gap within the third spherical to go away him backside of the leaderboard. He had beforehand squeezed by way of the reduce with a three-over total rating on the midway mark.
This clearly wasn’t the Woods of outdated, but it surely’s been fairly a while since we noticed that highly effective, athletic, all-conquering model of the 15-time main winner.
Many would have stop there after which. For Woods, who famously received the 2008 US Open with a fractured leg, that got here the following day as organizers introduced he had withdrawn earlier than the resumption of the rain-hit third spherical.
Woods defined minutes afterward Twitter {that a} foot harm (plantar fasciitis – a tissue irritation that causes ache within the heel) was the reason for the discomfort we had seen.
His physique weakened by a number of surgical procedures and accidents, the weather have been in opposition to him. The chilly and rain don’t go well with a person who wants an in depth warm-up routine to get his physique to acquiesce to the calls for of match golf.
Or, maybe, the climate saved him from himself. “I hate to say this however yesterday (Saturday) on the finish of this present I used to be simply hoping that he wouldn’t make the reduce, that he’d simply end one outdoors,” Sky Sports activities analyst Butch Harmon stated.
“Not as a result of I don’t need to see Tiger Woods play, we at all times need to see Tiger Woods play, however you would simply see he was in agony attempting to get round there and it wasn’t a shock in any respect to be sincere that he needed to withdraw.”
The schedule, too, grew to become unkind for the previous world No.1, and the undulating course was already a problem for his proper leg, held collectively by rods, screws, plates and pins after a critical automotive crash in 2021.
Masters 2023: The perfect footage from Augusta
An early wake-up on Saturday to complete a second spherical, which had been suspended Friday due to the climate, earlier than taking to the tee once more later within the day to start out the third spherical, was a bodily check.
For Woods to play greater than 18 holes in a day – which might have been the requirement on Sunday as organizers tried to finish a rain-hit match within the scheduled 4 days – appeared, at finest, optimistic, even with out harm.
He has performed only one aggressive match this season and instructed reporters within the build-up to The Masters that he doesn’t play or follow a lot anymore.
Ultimately, he managed 14 holes on Saturday (seven within the second spherical; seven within the third) and his physique might do no extra.
Had Woods accomplished 4 rounds at Augusta, questions would nonetheless be requested about his future. He had advised final week that this might be his ultimate Masters look and admitted that he was in “fixed” ache in the course of the opening spherical on Thursday.
However now we surprise not provided that Woods will ever once more try to barter Augusta’s hilly terrain, but in addition whether or not he’ll tee off at one other main.
We all know all about Woods’ previous: the 15 main titles, the 82 PGA Tour wins, the hundreds of thousands earned, the ability, the willpower, the affairs he admitted to earlier than the world’s media, the a number of again accidents, the surgical procedures, the redemptive 2019 Masters win, and the career-threatening automotive crash. Woods has gone from high of the world to all-time low and again once more.
However aged 47, the longer term is unsure. He’s now not the perfect golfer round. He’s now not among the finest. The reality is, it’s unclear how good he now’s or how good he nonetheless might be.
Woods spoke of finishing 4 rounds at Augusta Nationwide final 12 months as a “small victory,” but in addition instructed reporters final week: “I simply should be cognizant of how a lot I can push it. It’s been a troublesome, powerful highway. I don’t know what number of extra (Masters) I’ve in me.”
Will he proceed to place his physique by way of match golf simply to be an also-ran? Can the greats ever grow to be accustomed to being common? Not that Woods will ever simply be an everyday participant, because the headlines his Masters withdrawal generated testify. Arguably, he’s nonetheless the most important draw within the recreation.
Harmon instructed Sky Sports activities that he thought Woods would play one other main.
“Should you look the place The Open is that this 12 months [Royal Liverpool] it’s pretty flat … US Open in LA – sure, the LA Nation Membership’s received some hills and stuff. The issue right here [Augusta National] is the stroll, it’s simply such a troublesome stroll for everyone and so I feel it needed to occur for his sake. Will we see him once more? Gosh I hope so …
“Can he ever win one other one? I might by no means say Tiger Woods can’t do one thing as a result of each time we predict that, he proves us fallacious – he did a couple of years in the past proper right here at Augusta.”
