Tiger Woods ends Masters speculation and targets dramatic title

After all the hype and speculation, after his private jet’s journey from Florida to Georgia was tracked on social media, it took Tiger Woods 12 words to finally tell the golfing world what it desperately wanted to hear.

“As of right now, I feel like I am going to play,” Woods told a packed interview room at Augusta National ahead of the 86th Masters.

Asked if he thinks he can win a 16th major title and sixth green jacket on Sunday, Woods needed just two words. “I do,” he replied with conviction.

It was a predictable answer from a player who has only ever been interested in winning, but utterly remarkable that a relaxed, smiling Woods was able to utter it at all following the serious injuries he sustained in a horrific car crash less than 14 months ago.

Woods feared shortly after the accident in Los Angeles that his right leg would have to be amputated and conceded he would never return to a full-time playing schedule on the PGA Tour.

The fact that he was able to compete in the PNC Championship with son Charlie 10 months after the accident raised hopes that Woods could defy the odds once more, hopes given real substance when he flew with Charlie and Justin Thomas for a practice round at Augusta last week.

Ahead of nine holes of practice on Sunday, Woods said it would be a “game-time” decision on whether he would tee it up on Thursday, with that decision coming after a further nine holes on Monday.

“My recovery has been good,” Woods said. “I’ve been very excited about how I’ve recovered each and every day, and that’s been the challenge. That’s why I came up here and tested it out for 27 holes – because we played the par-three course. Charlie couldn’t help himself.

“There is pain each and every day obviously, given what