The Masters 2015: Tiger Woods confirms he will be fit to play at Augusta
Poor form and injuries have plagued Woods over the past few years
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Your support makes all the difference.Former world No 1 Tiger Woods has announced he will compete at next week’s Masters in Augusta.
The 14-time major winner had been a doubt after he withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open on 6 February saying he would not return until he could “compete at the highest level”.
However, Woods last night confirmed on his official website that he will play at Augusta. “I’m playing in the Masters,” he wrote. “It’s obviously very important to me, and I want to be there.
“I’ve worked a lot on my game and I’m looking forward to competing. I’m excited to get to Augusta and I appreciate everyone’s support.”
On Tuesday, Woods played 18 holes at the Augusta National Golf Club, a course where in the past he has had great success.
The 39-year-old has won the tournament four times, but the last of those was in 2005 and he failed to compete at last year’s competition because of a back injury.
Poor form and injuries have plagued Woods over the past few years, a fall from grace highlighted by the latest world rankings with the American at No 104. He was last outside the top 100 in September 1996, when he was ranked 225.
The low point came when he carded an 82 at the Phoenix Open in January, a round which he described as his worst as a professional.
He lost his No 1 ranking to Australia’s Adam Scott in May last year after a 2013 which saw him suffer poor form and injuries.
The American picked up an elbow injury at the Players Championship before he finished 13 over par at the US Open and only returned from the injury for The Open. Woods was in contention all week at Muirfield and finished five shots behind winner Phil Mickelson.
Victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational two weeks later looked like it could be the catalyst to kick-start Woods’ winning habit.
However, he sustained a back injury during the 2014 Honda Classic and subsequently missed the Masters for the first time since 1994.
His up-and-down form continued as a brilliant first round of 69 at the Open was followed up by a 77 and a finish of 69th.
He has not won since that WGC-Bridgestone Invitational title in August 2013.
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