After claiming 14 Majors in the 11 years between 1997 and 2008, it took Tiger Woods another 11 to secure number 15 at the 2019 Masters.
By then, a seemingly relentless string of injuries had taken their toll on Woods after he had seemed likely to eventually overtake Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 Major titles. Since that most recent triumph at Augusta National, Woods has again been beset by injuries, meaning there have only been 10 more starts at the showpiece tournaments between then and the beginning of 2024.
However, he heads into the year with renewed optimism after his latest surgery, a subtalar fusion procedure on his right-ankle, left it pain-free and later emerged from two events at the end of 2023 unscathed.
Woods, who makes his first start of the year at the Genesis Invitational, has outlined a "best scenario" of a tournament a month over the rest of the year, including the four Majors, and it is in those events where he will inevitably attract the most interest.
Despite that, he is not fancied by the bookmakers to add to his haul of Major titles this year. He is currently priced between +6660 (66/1) and +10000 (100/1) to claim his sixth Masters title in April, far adrift of favourites Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, who each attract odds of between +750 (7/1) and +950 (9/1).
If bookmakers believe Woods’ chances of winning the first Major of the year are remote, they’re even less confident of his hopes of a fourth PGA Championship title. Odds currently hover between +10000 (100/1) and +12500 (125/1) for the Valhalla tournament, even though that’s where Woods claimed the Wanamaker Trophy for the second time in 2000.
It’s a similar story for the US Open, with odds in the same range, as bookmakers think a fourth title will elude Woods with either Scheffler or John Rahm the likeliest to lift the trophy.
As for The Open, which Woods has won three times, even though it’s hardly a ringing endorsement of his credentials, you can get odds as short as +8500 (85/1) up to around +125000 (125/1) as he goes in search of his first win at Royal Troon.
Perhaps considering how little competitive golf Woods has played since returning to action at the 2022 Masters following a car accident, it was inevitable the bookmakers wouldn’t fancy his chances at this year's four Majors. We know from Woods’ competitive nature that he likely wouldn’t even enter a tournament if he didn’t think he could win it, though.
It’s now almost five years since the 48-year-old’s most recent Major win - and that was unexpected. With an optimistic injury outlook, it perhaps wouldn't be a good idea to assume he can't defy the odds once again.
