Tiger Woods eyes sixth Masters win ahead of Ryder Cup captaincy talks

15-time major winner hoping to get back on schedule with plan to play once a month this year

Tiger Woods believes he can win a sixth Masters title and is set to have talks about becoming the US captain in next year’s Ryder Cup. Add in him predicting that Rory McIlroy will complete his career grand slam one day and the 48-year-old provided plenty for us to get our teeth into from his visit to the Augusta National Media Building ahead of the season’s opening major, which starts on Thursday.

On the Golf Channel earlier this week, one of the analysts said he believed Woods could make the cut in the 88th edition of the Georgia event but would then be an “also ran” over the weekend. That view is probably based on the 15-time major winner having only played 96 holes of competitive golf since withdrawing before the final round here 12 months ago, but Woods has never come to this event to just make up the numbers and it’s no different on this visit.

“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” he replied to being asked what he honestly felt he was capable of this week, having last completed four rounds in a major in this event two years ago. Smiling, he added: “Do I need to describe that any more than that, or are we good?”

Five-time winner Tiger Woods speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the start of the 2024 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. Picture: The Masters

It will be a tough task to join Jack Nicklaus on six successes, but, having already pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sport with his most recent Green Jacket win in 2019, nothing can surely be ruled out when it comes to Woods in terms of this particular event. He almost laughed, in fact, after being asked on the back of expressing reverence for Augusta National if he’d given any thought yet to becoming an Honorary Starter one day. “No, no,” he said. “No, I have not thought about being a starter here, no. I don't know when that day is, when that day comes, but I still think that I can (win). I haven't got to that point where I don't think I can't.”

Ahead of his eagerly-awaited return to action in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December, Woods talked about how he planned to play once a month in 2024, with his schedule being aimed at getting ready for the majors and then recovering for the next one. He was then forced to withdraw after just six holes in the second round of the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in February and hasn’t been seen again until this week.

“Well, I wasn't ready to play,” he explained of that being the case. “My body wasn't ready. My game wasn't ready. And I thought that when I was at Hero, once a month would be a really nice rhythm. Hasn't worked out that way. But now we have major championships every month from here through July. So now the once a month hopefully kicks in.”

Twelve months ago, Woods equalled Gary Player’s record of 23 consecutive cuts here before the ankle that was badly damaged in his serious car crash in Los Angeles in 2021 led to his aforementioned exit before the final round. Having had it fused, the ankle is no longer a problem but he’s now aching elsewhere. “I hurt every day,” he said, smiling. Is it worse here, where the course is very undulating? “No, I ache every day. And I prefer it warm and humid and hot. And I know we're going to get some thunderstorms (on Thursday). So at least it will be hot. It won't be like last year.”

As for that Ryder Cup captaincy, it now seems that Woods is giving serious consideration to leading the US into battle at Bethpage Black, where Europe will once again have Luke Donald at the helm after his reappointment on the back of a brilliant victory in Rome last year. Asked about it in December, Woods said his focus was on his role as one of the PGA Tour’s policy board player representatives as talks continue with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. That’s still ongoing, with Woods having played golf with its head honcho, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, during a get-together in the Bahamas last month, but a Ryder Cup captaincy now seems a possibility sooner rather than later.

“We're still talking about it,” he said, smiling once again. “It's something that Seth [Waugh, the PGA of America CEO] and I are going to sit back and talk about it after this event. I said I'm going to be busy for a couple weeks, so let me focus on getting through this week and hopefully getting another jacket, and then we can sit back and talk about it next week.”

McIlroy has been trying since 2015 to become just the sixth player after Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Nicklaus and Woods to complete a career grand slam. The Northern Irishman missed the cut 12 months ago but, unlike some, Woods isn’t lacking belief about him eventually getting to wear a Green Jacket one day.

“No question, he'll do it at some point,” said Woods. “Rory's too talented, too good. He's going to be playing this event for a very long time. He'll get it done. It's just a matter of when. But, yes, I think that Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week. You never know. I just think that just, again, the talent that he has, the way he plays the game and the golf course fits his eye, it's just a matter of time.”