Tiger Woods End Drought As Masters Nears
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By DERON SNYDER
Just like that — 932 days since winning an official PGA Tour event — Tiger Woods is back. Just like that — two weeks after withdrawing on the 12th hole of a tournament and limping off — he resembles his old self again. And just like that — seven years since his last victory in the Masters — Woods is favored to win next week at the Augusta National.
“It feels really good,” he said Sunday after his dominating, five-shot victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “It’s been a lot of hard work.”
Woods’ drought began after the fateful car accident on Thanksgiving night in 2009, leading to his failed marriage and fall from grace. Though the victories dried up, his status as golf’s focal point never waned. He continues to influence TV ratings, attendance and buzz like no golfer ever, and like no athlete since Michael Jordan. When Woods shot 62 in the final round of the Honda Classic earlier this month, ratings were up 78 percent compared with last year.
