Tigermania sweeps Augusta as Woods keeps Masters guessing

AUGUSTA, Ga. : Tigermania returned to Augusta National in full force on Monday as a cagey Tiger Woods kept the golf world guessing on whether he will be in the Masters field.

The Woods watch moved into overdrive as hordes of spectators flooded into Augusta National to catch a glimpse of the 15-time major winner who has kept fans in suspense, saying on Sunday that his Masters participation will be a "game-time decision".

While Woods gave nothing away on Monday, fans will not have to wait much longer to know his decision with the 46-year-old scheduled to hold a news conference on Tuesday along with the publishing of Thursday's first round tee times.

After two years of COVID-19 restrictions that limited the number of spectators allowed onto the grounds, the galleries were back and so was the unmistakable Augusta National buzz amplified by the sight of Woods working the manicured fairways.

The car crash that 14 months ago had threatened to take Woods' right leg and left him in hospital for three weeks and then confined to a hospital-type bed at home for three months seemed a distant misfortune on a picture perfect Monday.

Playing an afternoon practice alongside Fred Couples and good friend Justin Thomas, a relaxed Woods did not have the look of a man struggling to make a decision.

Rather he had the self-assured air of someone who had made up his mind to be on the first tee come Thursday.

Woods has always maintained that he enters every event with the mindset to win it and his fellow golfers say not even coming back from a career threatening injury has changed that approach.

"It seems likes he's in a really great frame of mind and he wants to win," said big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau, a Green Jacket contender again this year.

"Obvious