If golf’s reverence for Augusta National borders on religious fanaticism, it still paled in comparison to the pilgrimage of those walking its grounds on Monday afternoon. The disciples shuffled behind in rows fifteen deep, a mass of luminous polo shirts blurring as they jostled for position, despite the fact they would never get near enough to catch a glimpse.
There is an argument that Tiger Woods’ aura only grew stronger in his absence. Despite the emergence of a new generation, ever since the near-fatal car crash 14 months ago that left Woods in a hospital bed for three months, nothing has been able to stop the sense of myth and yearning surrounding his comeback. From behind the veil of secrecy that was cast over his 75mph descent into a roadside ditch, the narrative slowly started to build again last year, beginning with leaked footage of him walking unaided before a short video of him hitting balls on the range last December sent fans into a frenzy. In public, Woods played down expectations but word spread between fellow pros in private and spilt into the press that Woods was back and a return was not beyond his reach. “If anyone can do it, Tiger can.”
