There's an undeniable magic in the air when Tiger Woods tees it up at Augusta National. The galleries fill quickly, the cheers are noticeably larger and there’s a certain electricity in the air. His shots, even when hit below his high standard, are viewed with an intensity that few other players in professional sports have commanded.
In 2024, despite struggling with his game and with physical ailments, Woods battled back to make the cut in improbable fashion.
“He made the cut on one leg,’’ said caddie Joe LaCava after the second round. “That’s pretty good.’’
More Shocking Stories:Jason Day's sweater vest | Matt Kuchar's Monday finish | Greg Norman attends Masters | Short putts doom McIlroy | Matsuyama robbed in airport | Solheim Cup shuttle blunder | Grayson Murray's death | Nelly Korda's 10 | Anthony Kim returns
Tiger began his round making bogeys on four of his first five holes, putting weekend play in serious jeopardy. After settling in, Woods finished with a 2-over-par 74, which despite being nine shots back of the leader, Scottie Scheffler, was only four shots back of second place.
Woods set a Masters record with his 24th consecutive made cut.
“I'm proud of the fact that my whole team got me into this position,’’ Woods said. “We worked hard to get me here to where I had an opportunity and then not to have, as I said, any setbacks this week, and we haven't. Kept progressing.’’
But after the Friday rally, Woods struggled mightily over the weekend. The 46-year-old shot rounds of 82 and 77 to finish 16 over, last amongst all players who made the cut. The 82 was his worst round at Augusta, the last-place finish just the third of his pro career.
Bob Harig: Woods’ second-round 72 was one of the under-rated rounds of his career. The conditions were as difficult as they had been for any day in the recent Masters memory. And the old Woods moxie was on display. He handled it beautifully, his ball striking pristine, as would be required on a windy day. The following day we began to see the back issues. After a birdie at the fifth hole, Woods struggled. He looked back enough by the turn that there were thoughts he might withdraw. It was the beginning of the end as we later learned that Woods needed another back procedure.
Jeff Ritter: Tiger’s fight to make the cut was an interesting subplot, but as I watched it I couldn’t help contemplating how many more Masters Woods might play in. Feels like we may be on borrowed time here.
John Schwarb: Debates over Tiger ever winning again have now been replaced with debates around whether it’s still great to see him when he’s far down the leaderboard, and my answer to the latter is “yes.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Golf’s Most Shocking Stories of 2024: Tiger Woods’s Up-and-Down Masters.