Tiger Woods Determined to Play Masters Despite TGL Finals Setback
Tiger Woods has reaffirmed his ambition to participate in next month's Masters tournament, even after experiencing a challenging return to competitive golf in the TGL Finals. The 15-time major champion, who underwent back surgery in October last year, made his comeback as part of the Jupiter Links team, which he co-founded with Rory McIlroy.
Physical Fitness and Competitive Performance
At 50 years old, Woods demonstrated promising physical condition during the TGL Finals, hitting several drives that exceeded 300 yards. However, his efforts were insufficient to prevent a decisive 9-2 loss against the Los Angeles Golf Club. This defeat allowed Los Angeles, featuring English golfers Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, to secure the best-of-three series with one game remaining.
Woods replaced Kevin Kisner in the Jupiter Links lineup for the second finals match, following Los Angeles's victory in the opening contest on Monday. Reflecting on his performance, Woods acknowledged the physical demands, stating, "It was fine physically. I had a couple of drives I had to hit and a couple of putts… it was a lot of fun to be a part of it."
Frustration and Momentum Shifts
The golf icon expressed frustration over the match's outcome, particularly highlighting a missed opportunity that shifted momentum. "We got our arse kicked at the end. Three eagles in a row, we didn't respond. I missed a short one to kind of get it started and give them momentum and we never got it back," Woods explained in a press conference broadcast by Sky Sports.
He added, "I'm frustrated that we didn't get it done, we had opportunities like last night – we should have won that match – and they steam-rolled us at the end." Jupiter Links had initially taken a 2-0 lead in the second game, but Woods's missed three-foot putt on the seventh hole allowed Los Angeles to capitalize with three consecutive eagles from the eighth.
Masters Aspirations and Recovery Challenges
Despite the setback, Woods remains focused on competing at the Masters, scheduled to begin on April 9 at Augusta National. He has faced significant health issues in recent years, including back problems and a ruptured Achilles tendon last spring. "I've been trying, this body doesn't recover like it did when I was 24, 25," Woods admitted.
He emphasized his ongoing efforts, saying, "It doesn't mean I'm not trying; I've been trying for a while. I've had a couple of bad injuries last year that I've had to fight through and has taken some time. I keep trying – I want to play." Woods also shared his deep connection to the tournament, noting, "I've loved the tournament, I've loved being there since I was 19 years old so it's meant a lot to me and my family over the years and I'm going to be there either way."
Looking Ahead and Final Thoughts
Woods concluded with optimism about his preparation, stating, "We'll see how it goes. I'll be practising, playing, and keep trying to make progress. It feels good to be back but I would have liked it to be better circumstances. That's the way sport is – you put yourself out there and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and you deal with it."
Justin Rose of Los Angeles Golf Club commented on the dramatic finish, saying, "They got off to a good start, fair play, but we were doing nothing tragic to second guess ourselves. You're not always going to go three eagles on the bounce, that's an insane way to finish and we've even taken ourselves by surprise there. It finished in a hurry which was good for us and a shame for everyone else here today." The series concluded with Rose hitting a five-wood to four feet on the par-five 10th, prompting Jupiter to concede.
