Tiger Woods’ Masters practice round included more ugly chip shots, according to report

The week started with encouraging reports of Tiger Woods having his “edge back” and shooting a “worst ball” 66 at his home club in South Florida, but details of his practice tour through Augusta may put a big dent in that Masters momentum.

With less than a week before the first round of the 2015 Masters, the world is left wondering whether Woods will ever make it to the first tee. There’s nothing but attempts to decipher the larger meaning of different reports and announcements and how they may impact whether the 14-time major winner makes his return to golf at the season’s first major.

The prospects of Tiger playing the Masters received a boost this week when his private plane was spotted at the Augusta airport. His agent, Mark Steinberg, confirmed to the Associated Press that Woods was indeed in Augusta and playing a practice round at the National. Tim Rosaforte provided the first details of how Tiger played, tweeting that Woods chipped-in on one hole but also had several “so so” short game shots. That didn’t sound great!

Now comes a Jim McCabe report in Golfweek that sheds more light on the practice round of a 14-time major winner that we last saw embarrassing himself attempting to make some of the game’s most basic shots. McCabe reports that Woods did pour in five birdies, but his final score was a 2-over 74.

It’s nice to hear about the birdies, but given the 2-over total, there had to have been some ugliness throughout the round. McCabe supplemented:

... He did hit several indifferent chips, including one that went through the green and into a bunker.

Gah. That sounds eerily similar to the scenes from earlier this year when we saw Tiger chunking, skulling and blading shots that he used to put within inches of the cup.

Tiger reportedly played with two members on Tuesday. Either they, or one of the caddies who went out with the group, is probably not going to be reconnecting with Tiger soon now that these details are out there.

The initial inference most made from Tiger showing up in Augusta was that he was probably now going to play. It came just hours after Rosaforte comments that Woods had his edge back. There’s no way he could make an appearance and then back out. It would only be a another incomprehensible sign of just how crippled he felt.

But as the hours and days pass since that practice round without a commitment, Tiger playing the Masters seems less and less likely. The additional details of his round also aren’t promising.

The Masters has many of their own unique rules, and that includes the makeup of their field. There are no alternates waiting in the wings so Tiger does not have to commit to play until his hypothetical tee time on Thursday. That we’re here at all -- trying to dig into whether the greatest player of a generation can hit a golf ball anymore and play the game’s most prestigious event -- is mystifyingly sad.