Golf: Tiger Woods confirms his intention to play at the Masters, and win

The spectacle of Tiger Woods just practicing has led to packed crowds at Augusta National in the days leading to the start of the US Masters. Photo / Getty

The wait is over. Tiger Woods has declared his right leg has passed the fitness test and will tee it up in Friday's first round of the 86th Masters.

And not only will he play, he believes he can win it and achieve one of sport's greatest comebacks, a resurrection that would make his remarkable victory here in 2019 - his first major title in 11 years - seem almost mundane.

Of course, with Woods there is always a caveat - he does love the drama - and predictably he did leave room for at least a sliver of doubt. "As of right now I feel I am going to play," Woods said at his eagerly awaited press conference.

But at a Masters consumed by Tigermania all anybody seemed interested in were the words "I am going to play". At 2.34am NZT on Friday, Woods will go out with South African Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann. The young Chilean will think he has joined a mad circus.

Fourteen months after a car crash that almost cost him his limb, the 46-year-old will, barring an adverse reaction to his exertions here these last few days, return to competition.

"I'm going to play nine more holes [on Wednesday]," Woods added. "My recovery had been good. I've been very excited about how I've recovered each and every day. That's why I came up here to test it out for 27 holes."

Woods revealed that he is in pain "each and every day" but he is adamant that he can play through it and challenge for a record-equalling sixth green jacket.

"I do - I can hit it just fine," he said. "I don't have any qualms about what I can do physically from a golf standpoint. Walking is the hard part. This course is not an easy walk to begin with. Now given the condition my left leg is in it is more difficult. It's going to be a tough challenge, but a challenge that I'm up for."

Tiger Woods believes he can win a sixth Green Jacket this week. #themasters pic.twitter.com/WHjD4BcOcx

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 5, 2022

Thursday's opening round would mark the first time Woods competes against the world's best players since Nov. 15, 2020, which was the final round of that year's pandemic-delayed Masters.

He had his fifth back surgery two months later and was still recovering from that on Feb. 23, 2021 when he crashed his SUV over a median on a suburban coastal road in Los Angeles and down the side of a hill.

Woods' injuries from that crash were so severe that doctors considered right leg amputation, before reassembling the limb by placing a rod in the tibia and using screws and pins to stabilize additional injuries in the ankle and foot.

"It's been a tough, tough year ... but here we are," Woods said.

- with AP