Healthy, happy and sinking those putts, Woods is the main man at Augusta again

They're golf's global poster boys, own the same trademark swoosh and occupy the top two places on the world ranking. But there's a not-so-subtle difference. Whilst Rory McIlroy doesn't see Tiger Woods as a rival, Tiger Woods sees Rory McIlroy as a rival. In fact, if the truth be known, El Tigre views everyone as a rival.

"Over the course of my career, I've had a few," agreed Woods yesterday, before going on to name Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and David Duval as those who been rivals.

“Now, Rory’s the leader of this new, younger generation,” he said.

Now, though, Woods – a winner in three of the five tournaments he has played on the US Tour this season in returning to the world's number one ranking, having fallen as low as 58th at one juncture when injury and his personal travails threatened to derail his career – has found a life balance that has him back prowling the fairways of Augusta National in search of a 19th career Major and a fifth Masters title with some of his old hunger.

Woods, just like the old days, is back on favoured terrain as the man to beat. It was back in 1995 he first made the journey down Magnolia Lane, as an amateur, and in 1997 that he won the green jacket for the first time in record-breaking fashion.

Further titles were claimed in 2001 (completing the so-called Tiger Slam when he owned all four Major titles at the one time), 2002 and 2005. Then, nothing!

Constantly smiling
Yesterday, Woods – constantly smiling and clearly in a relaxed and comfortable place with his life and game – was asked what he would have thought at that green jacket ceremony in 2005 if somebody said it would be so long before he won again?

“I wouldn’t have been happy with that,” he responded.

“Does it feel like a long time ago?” he was asked.

“It does. I put myself in the mix every year but last year. It’s not like I’ve been out there with no chance of winning. I’ve been there, and unfortunately, just haven’t got it done. I’ve made runs to get myself in it.

“I’ve been there in the mix, either not executed, not made enough putts or didn’t take care of the par fives par, or whatever it may be . . . I’ve been in the mix, I just haven’t got it done,” he replied.

The difference this time is Woods has rediscovered the art of winning on tour, climbing within touching distance of Sam Snead’s all-time record number of wins on the US Tour.

He finished off the job in impressive fashion when winning at Torrey Pines and Doral and Bay Hill.

The common denominators were the victories were achieved on courses where he had dominated in his heyday and their dominant execution.

In claiming back-to-back tour wins in the WGC-Cadillac and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he has shot eight successive rounds under par. Just like the old days.

Majors drought
And, yet, Woods, more than anyone, knows the body which will seek to end his Majors drought – back to 2005 since his last Masters, back to 2008 since his last Major at the US Open before his knee surgery – is different to the one that once blew fields away.

“Well, certainly, at 37, I’m not what I was when I was 19 as far as flexibility. I’m far stronger and far more explosive than I was then.

“I don’t have the elasticity and that’s, you know, a function of age. You have to adapt and you have to play and you have to adjust. That’s what we do as players as we mature through the game,” said Woods.

Of course, Woods’s adjustments haven’t come from age alone.

His knee injuries have contrived to see him work with swing coach Sean Foley on changes. Getting back to world number one has been part of a process where results looked after the rankings.

“The number one concern, number one intent was, first of all, get healthy, get strong enough where I can practice.  And once I started to be able to practice, things turned and they turned quickly.

“I’m excited that at this point in my career I’ve been able to get healthy and to be able to give myself another chance . . . I feel comfortable with every aspect of my game. I feel that I’ve improved and I’ve got more consistent, and I think the wins show that.

“That’s something that I’m proud of so far this year, and hopefully I can continue it this week and the rest of the year.”