Tiger Has Landed — Woods Arrives In Augusta Tuesday Morning

It’s hard to hide from the geeks who like to track private jets of major celebrities and Air Tiger landed Tuesday morning in Augusta, Ga.

There was no doubt the five-time Masters champion was on board — Tiger Woods his ownself, along with son Charlie.

Woods headed to Augusta National as he continues to try and determine if he’ll will tee it up in the 86th Masters next week.

Last week the rumors were flying that Tiger Woods was walking and playing at The Medalist in Hobe Sound with caddie Joe LaCava in tow.

Now is when the rubber will meet the road — or in the case of Tiger Woods, when the legs meet the hilly terrain of the world-famous Augusta National Golf Club.  Tiger went out to play on Tuesday with son Charlie in tow.  This was probably Charlie’s first time playing Augusta National.  Justin Thomas was out with them.  Also practicing on site Tuesday were Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed.

If you’ve been there, you understand that walking “The National” is no picnic — no walk in the park.  Tiger may have easily negotiated The Medalist last week but it’s your standard, fairly flat Florida golf course.

At Augusta, you’ve got steep hills, lots of them.  The drop from 10 tee to 10 green is huge, first thing you might think about when you see it for the first time is that it would be an extraordinary sledding hill if it was covered in snow.

Same for the drop at No. 2, the par five.

The back nine sits lower than the front, it’s sort of a huge punch bowl.  That’s where the loudest roars have been heard over the years — the sound carries over, around the through the terrain.

What Tiger will have to determine is his own ability to navigate the course for four days, if he were to make the 36-hole cut and even if he does tee it up on Thursday, April 7, there’s no guarantees he can survive the 36-hole cut.

There there’s the weather.  The long-range forecast shows rain on Tuesday and Wednesday that could affect practice rounds.  For the tournament days, there’s a lesser chance of rain (24%) on Thursday and Friday with good weekend weather predicted.

So will he or won’t he?

Stay tuned.

Texas Open As A Masters Tuneup?

After his scattergun-off-the-tee performance at the WGC Match Play, Bryson DeChambeau was one of the go-home-early guys and he’ll try and knock off some more of that rust this week at the Valero Texas Open — last stop before the season’s first major — The Masters.

DeChambeau isn’t the only big name in the field.  Rory McIlroy, who skipped the match play last week, is in the field at the TPC San Antonio.  So is Masters champion Jordan Spieth along with the defending Masters champion — Hideki Matsuyama.  Spieth was the winner here last year.

Corey Conners, who made it to the final four last week in Austin, is in the field as is Abraham Ancer — who lives in San Antonio.