Tiger Woods writes latest redemption tale as Scheffler surges into Masters lead

By this point it would be reasonable to assume Tiger Woods is beyond career firsts. Not so and, in this case, not for the right reasons.

Woods’s celebrated period at Augusta National had never included the playing of holes 1 to 5 in four over par. Until day two of the Masters’ 86th edition, that is. As Woods toiled badly in the most testing of conditions, Thursday’s fairytale had descended into Friday’s nightmare.

The 15-times major champion was embroiled in a battle simply to survive for this tournament’s closing 36 holes. Television executives, conscious of ratings figures fired into fresh stratospheres by Woods’s unlikely involvement, were coming out in cold sweats.

What happened next supplied proof, if that was really needed, that the most unwise thing in sport would be to write off Woods. There was the straightforward birdie at the 8th. At the 10th, a hole that causes palpitations to most, Woods played one of the approach shots of the tournament to set up a birdie. Aberrations at the next two holes – he missed a short putt for par at the 11th and could not rescue a three from a back bunker at the next – were offset by back-to-back birdies.

Woods’s latest redemption tale will therefore include 72 holes at Augusta. Whether he can joust for what would be a sixth Masters title remains to be seen – the imperious Scottie Scheffler is among those standing in his way – but the manner in which he rebounded from such a shaky opening to the second round was arguably more impressive than day one’s 71. Woods still looks physically comfortable; he is forever incredibly resilient.

Woods was irked at not making a birdie on the par-five 15th and spurned a chance after a glorious iron into the par-three 16th. Work was required to