Tiger Woods steals Masters spotlight from Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy cannot imagine ending his entire career without at least one victory at Augusta. Tiger Woods enters this year’s Masters with the world wondering if he’ll ever win another tournament, let alone a fifth green jacket.

Such are the states of golf’s biggest stars as they prepare to take the game’s most illustrious stage. The 79th Masters kicks off on Thursday full of question marks for both players, who -- as Nike made clear in its tear-jerking, pre-Augusta commercial -- will forever be linked.

Woods, fallen from top of the world to No. 111, was so jazzed to be back at Camp Bobby Jones that he greeted fellow players and former caddies like long-lost brothers, sported ear buds and swayed to the beat while hitting actual chip shots, not a hosel rocket among ‘em.

The scene was so, well, un-Tiger-like, it had veteran Woods watchers scratching their grizzled heads.

Yes, with the long national nightmare finally over, Tiger was back in town, media circus in tow, and putting on a show for the practice-round patrons, who roared their approval just as they did back in the day.

Which was swell and all, and even the guys who hope to leave him in their dust come Sunday afternoon were mighty pleased to see the Big Cat prowling the friendly confines he has outwitted and outplayed so many times in the past.

This time around should be no different, according to Phil Mickelson.

“He’s had such a good short game and such a great game throughout his career, I think it’s going to be an easy fix,” Mickelson said in Houston on Friday, after Woods announced he was returning from his self-imposed hiatus. “I think his game will be sharp.”

But before Phil or anyone else concedes the match to Tiger, let’s all try to remember that the good vibes and finely tuned short game were on display on a Monday. Woods has yet to put his revamped skill set into play under competitive conditions since he stepped away from it all in February.

The mysteries still remain: How will Woods fare under pressure after a two-month furlough to whip his wedges into shape? Will he make it through 36 holes without grabbing his surgically repaired back or wincing from a chunked chip shot? Can he make the cut or even take a run at that elusive 15th major title?

As Monday’s afternoon session indicated, Woods, whose very presence was undecided until Friday, will attract much of the attention. And that was just fine with McIlroy, whom many crowned Tiger’s heir apparent after he won his first major and of whom much is expected.

“This year, at least for now, I’m the buildup, the center of [the usual Augusta] hype,” McIlroy said ahead of last month’s start at Bay Hill. “Whether Tiger decides to play or not, that could change things a little bit and I could not fly under the radar.”

Oh yeah, the Ulsterman was on the course Monday as well, serving as mentor and tour guide for Scottish amateur Bradley Neil.

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Many golf enthusiasts pick the Boy Wonder to win his third consecutive major and complete the career grand slam as well as go on to win the U.S. Open in June and achieve the McSlam -- bag four consecutive majors across two calendar years, as Woods did in compiling the Tiger Slam in 2000-01.

That’s a whole lot of pressure on the four-time major winner, but the chiseled, brawny shoulders of No. 1 can surely bear the weight. He is, after all, the same golfer (with a decidedly newly buffed physique) as the slight, moptop from Northern Ireland who so horribly blew a four-shot lead on the final day of the 2011 Masters and rebounded two months later to win the U.S. Open in a laugher.

McIlroy believes he’s up to the challenge.

“I’ve got a chance to go to Augusta and do something very few players in this game have done before, so that adds a little bit of spice to it,” McIlroy said ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I feel the extra attention but no extra pressure on this side going to Augusta this year.”

Indeed, the 25-year-old who grew up idolizing Woods has said often that he yearns to be The Man.

“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” McIlroy said in February before missing the cut at the Honda Classic. “I would be wasting my time if I was out there practicing as much as I do and putting as much time into it if I didn’t want to be in this position ... Of course I want to be that guy.”

No one in golf doubts McIlroy has the talent to emerge triumphant on Sunday night, though recent results are not all that encouraging. In addition to the MC at the Honda, Rory finished T11 at Bay Hill after tying for ninth and drowning a 3-iron at Doral.

Still, the handicappers who make him the favorite this week are not the only ones betting on McIlroy.

“If Rory doesn’t win at Augusta in a few weeks’ time, he’ll win next year,” 2016 European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke told the Irish Independent last month. “And if he doesn’t win next year, then he’ll win it the year after. His game is perfect for that golf course. He’s going to win there. It’s only a question of when, he’s that good.”

ESPN analyst and two-time U.S. Open winner Andy North sees Woods when he watches McIlroy.

“His best is as good as anybody we’ve seen. He is very Tiger‑ish,” North said during a recent teleconference. “You look at when he’s won his majors, he’s just dominated. He’s hit shots that have been amazing. At his best, he’s as good as anybody we’ve seen.”

But for some press obligations (Rory was scheduled to follow Tiger to the podium on Tuesday) and a couple more practice rounds, there’s little left for golf’s most renowned tandem but to let their sticks do the talking. And so, with the game’s unofficial Opening Day on tap, play ball, gentlemen.