Nigeria Content Online

Tiger Woods put
himself into ‘Masters mode’ on Sunday, ending weeks of introspective
analysis to state confidently and simply that he can win the U.S.
Masters for a fifth time next month.

Woods shot an
even-par 72 in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay
Hill to end the week one under and well behind the leaders.

The numbers were not
great but Woods was happy with his hitting throughout a round which was
damaged by a bogey on the 17th and then a double bogey on the final
hole where he found water.

Afterwards, before
signing autographs with a crowd of enthusiastic fans, Woods was asked
about his driving, his putting and his comfort level.

The 14-times major
winner has been willing to share his problems of late but this time the
message was that he was getting better in all those areas and that
crucially, for those who wonder whether he still has that formidable
confidence, he had no doubt about whether he can triumph at Augusta.

Woods had a simple
one word answer to the question of whether he can win, staring the
reporter in the eye as he delivered it: “Absolutely”.

It was old school
Tiger, a sign that with just over a week to prepare for the Masters he
is now in the zone – no longer focusing on the doubts and what he has
called ‘the process”.

Good week

“It was a very good
week and a week I need to see. I really hit the ball well and the things
that we have been working on for the last couple of weeks, really,
really felt comfortable today, I felt I was able to control just about
every shot today,” he told reporters.

His driving? “Much
better. Every day has gotten a little bit tighter which is good. I have
to keep working, keep staying the course, each day is progressing. Today
was really nice,” he said.

“I need to keep
progressing and hopefully it will peak two more Thursdays from now.
Early in the year was disappointing because the conditions showed some
signs of weakness that I had to work on – now it’s feeling very, very
good”.

That positive talk was however against the backdrop to a messy end to his round.

“I played well all
day and the best shot I hit was on 17th but it didn’t come out. On 18 I
was caught between clubs, went with the lower one and didn’t luck out.

“I hit three water
balls this week and had a few missed putts here and there and I’m not
that far behind. Add all that together, you can’t afford to make those
mistakes”.

Woods is not playing next week’s tour event in Houston, instead he heads early to Augusta to start practice.

Last year, Woods went into Augusta without playing any tour events and finished tied fourth.

“It is nice to have
some tournaments under my belt and be more in tournament shape going in.
They have made a couple of changes at Augusta. I’ll take a look at
those and develop a game plan,” he said.

It is game on now
for Woods and the golfing world will be watching eagerly to see whether
there really is substance to his renewed swagger.