A Healthy Tiger Is Licking His Chops For More Majors

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Watch television coverage of the Zurich Classic this Saturday and Sunday starting at 3pm only on CBS62.

Tiger Woods hopes winning the Masters to end 11 years without a major will be a spark in his renewed pursuit of the record held by Jack Nicklaus.

 

 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods (R) of the United States is awarded the Green Jacket by Masters champion Patrick Reed (L) during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

 

Even so, Woods tells GOLFTV it will take "special moments" like his one-shot victory at Augusta National.

"The only thing I can promise you is this, that I will be prepared," Woods said in his first extensive comments since leaving Augusta National with a fifth green jacket.

 

 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods of the United States wears The Green Jacket and holds The Masters Trophy after his historic one shot win during the final round of the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

"Now whether or not it all comes together ... because you need to have mind, body and soul come together for those four days. That doesn't always happen," Woods said. "If you think about it, I've been out here what, 23 years or so? It's only come together 15 times."

Woods spoke to Discovery-owned GOLFTV in a 27-minute interview Thursday as part of his endorsement role to provide exclusive content to the global video streaming service.

 

 

Tiger Woods of the US holds his trophy after defeating compatriot Rocco Mediate in the sudden death playoff at the 108th U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California on June 16, 2008. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

 

 

Nicklaus set the gold standard in golf with 18 professional majors. Woods won his 14th major in 2008 in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines when he was 32, and breaking the record seemed inevitable until a fourth surgery on his left knee, and then four surgeries on his back in a three-year span.

"I always thought it was possible, if I had everything go my way," Woods said in the interview. "It took him an entire career to get to 18, so now that I've had another extension to my career — one that I didn't think I had a couple of years ago — if I do things correctly and everything falls my way, yeah, it's a possibility."

Woods believes his Masters victory — his first major when he was trailing going into the final round — began last summer when he briefly held the lead Sunday at the British Open, and then pushed Brooks Koepka to the end in a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship.

 

 

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 2: The Open championship flags make their debut at Royal Portrush Golf Club during a media event on April 2, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. The Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951 this summer between 18-21 of July. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

 

 

"Those two major championships allowed me to have this one," Woods said. "And hopefully, this one will allow me to have a few more."

He attributed a big part of his Masters victory to a swing key leading up to the week that allowed him to hit draws with his driver. Woods conceded he no longer has the length that allowed him to hit 3-wood off several tees, which he could hit right-to-left more easily.

 

 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods of the United States plays a shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

 

 

"I've lost a little bit off my fastball, so I've got to rely on the driver," Woods said. "And so I found something in my game when I start feeling comfortable turning it."

He also gave credit to his caddie, Joe LaCava, for persuading him to arrive at Augusta National on the Sunday afternoon before instead of Monday. Woods said he was working so hard on his game that he wasn't about to play, so instead he took a wedge and a putter for nine holes.

 

 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods of the United States prepares to play a shot on the fifth hole alongside caddie Joe LaCava during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

 

"That nine-hole session on Sunday set the tone for my mind being opened up to see the amount of break," Woods said.

Woods said he had been thinking about the Masters for six months. Now he faces a quick turnaround — the PGA Championship starts in three weeks at Bethpage Black, where Woods won the U.S. Open in 2002. He last played it in 2012 during the FedEx Cup playoffs, which is when he first complained of a sore back.

 

 

FARMINGDALE, NY - AUGUST 26: Patrick Reed hits his tee shot on the 17th hole during the second round of The Barclays in the PGA Tour FedExCup Play-Offs on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on August 26, 2016 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

 

 

He says he will lean on experience of past preparations, such as his three straight majors in 2000 that he won in a span of 66 days.

For now, he has done very little. Woods compares this Masters to his first one in 1997 because it took time for the magnitude to sink it.

 

 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates with his caddie Joe LaCava after holing the winning putt on the par 4, 18th hole during the final round of the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

 

 

"I haven't got to the point where I'm willing to put in the hours yet and do the dirty stuff to get the body ready, to put in all the hours of hitting golf balls and putting," Woods said. "I'm doing all the visual stuff, but I haven't put in the physical work yet. But it's probably coming this weekend."

CBS62 TV Coverage

Watch television coverage of the Zurich Classic Saturday and Sunday starting at 3pm only on CBS62.

 

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