A golfer with a strong mental focus on the golf course definitely has an advantage over his or her opponents - but, is this strength of mind enough needed to win The Masters? And, is the golfer on the PGA Tour with the strongest mind still Tiger Woods?John Daly seems to think so; in a recent interview, The Lion mentioned about Tiger Woods, "I honestly think he has a great shot at winning the Masters this year. He’s got the strongest mind out there, his mental capacity’s like (Jack) Nicklaus — he can overcome an Arnold Palmer’s army."
Watching the Arnold Palmer Invitational viewers could see Woods' resolve but, he did make one mental error during the final round which, in my opinion, cost him the tournament - pulling out his driver when a 3-wood better suited his situation; A similar mishap occurred during the latter part of the Valspar Championship.
That being said, Woods' resolve to make a comeback is strong and that might be enough to take home his fifth Green Jacket.
It isn't easy to win any major but The Masters' tournament, being the first major of the year and always held at the same venue, holds a mystique, unlike all others. According to a Golf State of Mind blog, in addition to a clear strategy at Augusta, pro golfers also need imagination and creativity, "an incredible work ethic and determination" and the ability "to think clearly in the pressure moments."
Woods is planning his attack on Augusta, from the clubs he will place in his bag to reviewing the greens and his old course notes - if any golfer is ready to take on Augusta during The Masters, it's Tiger Woods.
Bettors and sportsbooks are taking notice; Tiger Woods is one of the top five Masters favorites after consecutive top-five finishes with Woods currently at 12/1 odds, just behind Justin Thomas. Rory McIlroy is the current favorite to win at Augusta National.
Tiger Woods recently said, “when I fully put it together again, when I know my limits, then I think I’ll start winning golf tournaments again.” Think now is his time to win?
The Masters takes place April 5–8, 2018 at Augusta National with a purse of $11,000,000.
Watch on: CBS, ESPN.
State your case for or against Tiger Woods in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.
