Confirmed: Tiger Woods fall from grace clearer than ever as Masters place
Although Tiger Woods is confirmed to participate in his first Major of the season, The Masters, experts predict that he will not be a formidable contender on the golf course.
Since his name was included in the latest entry list for the first Major of the season, Tiger Woods has seen a significant increase in his Masters odds – which are currently at their highest ever.
At the age of 48, the renowned American athlete will participate in his 26th Masters tournament with a goal to establish a fresh feat by making an unparalleled number of cuts at Augusta. However, despite being included on the invite list for the 2024 Masters App last week while ranked No.941 globally, his chances of equalling or surpassing record-holder Jack Nicklaus’s tally of six Green Jackets have diminished significantly.
It is improbable that Woods will participate in any pre-tournament games and he has not completed a PGA Tour event for over a year. Last year, the 15-time Major champion withdrew from the third round at Augusta due to foot issues. Additionally, during February’s Genesis Invitational, he pulled out after playing only 24 holes as he was afflicted with flu-like symptoms.
After engaging in talks with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and Newcastle chairman Yasser Al-Rumayyan, Woods no longer actively participates in the PGA Tour. Despite his astounding victory at the Masters tournament in 2019, where he secured a top-ten finish for the fourteenth time, bookmakers and gamblers doubt that he can achieve another historic win if he decides to compete on April 11th.
Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill stated that it appears unlikely that Tiger will participate in any games before Augusta. As a result, he would have had less than two competitive rounds this year which is insufficient preparation. Following his addition to the Masters field list last week, we observed that there has been an increase in odds of him obtaining a sixth Green Jacket from 100/1 prior to announcement to now being at 125/1.
Despite the lack of current interest in him, it is anticipated that Tiger’s die-hard fans will rally behind him and place numerous bets on his victory. Additionally, many others may find appeal in betting 10/1 for a top-10 finish. Since suffering injuries from a car accident earlier this year, Woods has only made few appearances thus far. However, he did manage to maintain an impressive record at Augusta last year by tying with Gary Player and Fred Couples for all-time consecutive cuts made during the tournament (23).
According to Dan Kilbridge, Bookies.com’s Senior Handicapper, Woods was given pre-tournament odds of 80-1 last year and had 50-1 odds during his professional debut in 1997 when he won by a remarkable margin of12 shots.
“He said that Tiger Woods’ chances of winning the Masters have diminished as time has progressed. The primary issue is his lack of readiness for the tournament. Although he was previously given a 120/1 chance at victory just fourteen days ago, his current odds are some of the poorest in comparison to other competitors with odds listed at 160/1.”
According to Rachael Kane, a spokesperson for Paddy Power, although Tiger Woods may have odds of 125/1 at the Masters, it would be unwise to underestimate his abilities on Augusta’s course.
