Masters 2024: Tiger Woods lights up Augusta National before patrons put on glasses for solar eclipse

Five-time Masters winner ‘played great’ in practice round says his playing partner

Before a solar eclipse caused some excitement on the first official practice day for the 88th Masters, Monday morning at Augusta National had been lit up by Tiger Woods. The five-time winner was first out from the tenth tee in the company of Will Zalatoris and, for a couple of hours, patrons had their minds taken off customised solar glasses they’d been handed coming into the course.

Since last year’s event, when he equalled Gary Player’s record of making 23 consecutive cuts here before withdrawing prior to the final round, Woods has only played 96 holes of competitive golf, having returned to action in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas before then withdrawing early in the second round in the Genesis Invitational due illness. But, make no mistake, he still moves that needle and especially so here.

“It's just everything the guy has done,” observed Zalatoris in reply to being asked about the 15-time major winner after they’d completed their nine holes together on a gorgeous Georgia morning. “You could just sit there and analyse the same stats for his entire career and put him in five different buckets and every one of them is never going to be broken.”

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods was in good spirits on the first official practice day for the 88th Masters. Picture: The Masters

Claiming that cut record outright would be another feather in his cap in this event, which he has been synonymous with since storming to a sensational 12-shot success in 1997. “He played great today,” added Zalatoris. “He outdrove me a couple times so there was some chirping going on. So, you know, he looks great. He's moving as well as he can be. With everything he's gone through, it's pretty amazing to see how good he's swinging it.”

It was a worrying sight as Woods found himself struggling to walk in the third round last year but, since having ankle fusion surgery, he is definitely moving a bit easier, albeit like a 48-year-old who has undergone more surgeries than any top golfer over the years. It’s surely ridiculous to think that he might even contend, but the fact he’s here is a boost, as will be the case he can make it to Royal Troon in July for the 152nd Open.