Tiger Woods is on players’ minds at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A few Masters competitors took questions from reporters Monday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Tiger Woods wasn’t one of them — but he was non everyone’s mind.

The golf superstar has been mostly sidelined since suffering serious injuries in a car crash last year in California.

But now he’s poised for a possible comeback. He’s on the Masters player list and in town practicing and preparing, even though he hasn’t said decided whether he’s ready to play.

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If anyone can bounce back from injuries that nearly cost him a leg, it’s Woods.

And while he may beat them, his potential competitors want to see him on the course this week.

“I’ve seen him play far superior to any golfer since Nicklaus, so naturally he inspires you,” Patrick Cantlay told reporters.

“Seeing someone who is as close to anyone as as mastering the game is admirable,” he said.

“There’s definitely a different feel to tournaments he plays in.”

A reporter noted that Cantlay had just been on the green with Woods and asked how the experience was.

“I just thought it was good to see him,” Cantlay said.

“It’s always good to see him, although it seems like we don’t get to see enough of him,” Cantlay said.

Cameron Smith echoed those thoughts.

“Hopefully, we can see him out back out here playing golf again,” Smith said.

“I think he just inspired everyone to get out,” Smith said. “He made golf cool.”

He added: “I don’t think a lot of the young guys out here would be where they are without him.”

Bryson DeChambeau also wants to see Woods play.

“It’s great to see his face,” he said. “It’s just great to see him in a very positive frame of mind.”

DeChambeau said Woods obviously wants to win.

“He’s one that may shock a lot of people to see him tee up this week,” DeChambeau said, adding he “couldn’t be more happy for him the place he’s at. Couldn’t be more proud of him, too, coming back.”

Collin Morikawa said rewatching Woods’ 1997 win was among his first Masters memories.

But the most memorable Masters moment was in 2019 when Tiger won, according to Morikawa. He told the story of watching it at a house rented by his college golf teammates.

“And that’s, like really special,” he said.

Before that, he said, he hadn’t normally watched every shot as closely.

But in 2019, “We were all just glued to the couch,” he said, “and glued to the TV.”

Billy Horschel said Tiger’s determination is “amazing.’

“What word haven’t we used to describe Tiger in any form or sense? ... WIth everything he’s gone through, with all the injuries and with all the personal stuff, he always — he still has that drive and that fire within him to still play golf.”

Webb Simpson put it this way: “I think we’re all Tiger fans. I learned my lesson never to count him out a few years ago when he came — he’s come back so many times from an injury... so he’s an inspiration to all of us.”

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