Tiger Woods continues his exceptional comeback from extreme leg accidents Friday with a day tee time on the Masters, the legend firmly in title competition early within the second spherical. The 15-time main champion battled by ache to stroll the hilly 7,510-yard Augusta Nationwide structure, firing a one-under par 71 in Thursday’s opening spherical to share tenth. “I am proper the place I must be,” Woods mentioned. Woods was 4 strokes behind South Korean chief Im Sung-jae after 18 holes and remained that far adrift in breezy circumstances early Friday.
A botched chip price Im a bogey on the first gap however he sank a 24-foot birdie putt on the par-4 third to return to 5-under, one stroke forward of late-starting Australian Cameron Smith and 2020 Masters winner Dustin Johnson, who opened on 69 and sank a six-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth.
“I’ve the stamina to maintain going,” Woods mentioned. “There is a lengthy technique to go and lots of pictures to be performed.
“This golf course goes to vary and it may get much more tough.”
Woods made an astonishing return to competitors 14 months after a automotive crash in Southern California prompted him extreme proper leg accidents.
Rods, plates and pins assist maintain collectively his leg after he was hospitalized for weeks and unable to stroll for months.
Rehabilitation work has allowed the 46-year-old medical marvel to make an epic comeback at an iconic setting.
“I am as sore as I anticipated to really feel, but it surely was wonderful,” Woods mentioned.
Woods, tied for tenth after the primary spherical, was set to tee off at 1:41 p.m. (1741 GMT) in Friday’s third-to-last group alongside Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Joaquin Niemann of Chile.
Between rounds, Woods soaked his leg in icy water to ease the swelling whereas attempting to maintain it robust for Friday shotmaking.
“A lot of ice baths. Simply principally freezing myself to demise. That is simply a part of the deal,” Woods mentioned. “Getting all of the swelling out as finest as we presumably can and getting it cell and warmed up, activated and explosive for the subsequent day.”
Im shot 67 Thursday for a one-stroke lead over Smith, with whom he shared second behind Johnson on the 2020 Masters, performed in November as a result of Covid-19. That was the final top-level occasion Woods had performed earlier than Thursday.
‘Electrical’ environment
Hundreds of spectators lined each gap of the famed course Thursday to cheer Woods in his wonderful quest to seize a record-tying sixth inexperienced jacket after as soon as fearing he would possibly lose his leg.
“Strolling isn’t straightforward,” Woods mentioned. “With all of the exhausting work, my leg, it may be tough for the remainder of my life. That is simply the best way it’s, however I can do it.”
Woods drew vitality from the group of supporters over the identical structure the place he received his first main title 25 years in the past and claimed his most up-to-date main title in 2019 — when he accomplished an incredible comeback after spinal fusion surgical procedure.
“The place was electrical,” Woods mentioned. “To have that sort of vitality on the market was superior to really feel.”
Woods, who has slid to 973rd in world rankings, would match the all-time Masters win report of Jack Nicklaus with a victory and break the report he shares with Sam Snead of 82 profession US PGA victories.
4-time main winner Rory McIlroy, in search of a inexperienced jacket to finish a profession Grand Slam, chipped his method on the par-5 second to 2 toes and made a birdie putt to achieve degree par for the event after a gap 73.
McIlroy hasn’t received a significant title since 2014.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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