He's back: Tiger tees off at Masters in 1st competitive tournament since car crash
Against all odds, Tiger Woods teed off in the Masters on Thursday for his first truly competitive tournament since a car wreck that damaged his right leg so badly he was faced with the prospect of amputation.
Wearing a pink shirt and black pants, Woods was greeted by thunderous applause when his name was announced to a huge gallery surrounding the first tee.
Woods failed to make solid contact with his first shot: a 264-yard drive that faded behind a bunker on the right side of the fairway. His approach rolled off the front of the green, but he sank a 10-foot putt to save par, bringing another huge roar from the patrons.
Woods walked slowly and with the slight hint of a limp, knowing that he faced four tough days on an extremely hilly course if he manages to make the cut.
Tiger Woods begins his 24th Masters with a par on the first. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/themasters?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#themasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/gTva7ZznsP">pic.twitter.com/gTva7ZznsP</a>
Simply playing was a victory for Woods.
His career was in jeopardy after a devastating, single-car crash in Los Angeles in February 2021. He was confined to a hospital bed for three months and out of the public eye until last November, when he posted a video of him swinging a club with a simple message, "Making progress."
Despite the long layoff and the obvious physical limitations with screws and rods still holding the bones in place in his right leg, Woods said he still thinks he can win his sixth green jacket.
At 46, he would be the oldest Masters champion by three weeks over Jack Nicklaus.
The biggest question is how Woods holds up over 18 holes for four straight days. He walked 18 holes last week — his first big test — during a
