Tiger Woods gets ‘the band back together’ and finds some game at Augusta

When Tiger Woods wrapped old friend Mark O’Meara in a bear hug before setting out with him for a Monday Masters practice round at Augusta National, the warm scene reminded some of a reunion of old musicians.

Indeed, with Woods hanging out so much lately with Stanford teammate and unofficial life coach, Notah Begay, reconnecting with old Isleworth buddy, John Cook, greeting former caddie “Fluff” Cowan enthusiastically and catching up with ex-coach Sean Foley, it was a homecoming of sorts.

“Kind of bring the old band back together again,” Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte reported from the site of the Masters Tuesday morning.

For sure, it was a melding of the new and the old Tiger, as the former No. 1 hit the range with ear buds hanging around his neck, a far more relaxed persona, a retro pair of TW ’11 shoes, and someone who was like an older brother to him for so long.

“Tiger reached out to Mark,” Rosaforte said, indicating another difference in the currently 111th-ranked golfer in the world.

All of which seemed to work wonders for Woods’ game -- at least during a leisurely but solid 11-hole practice round.

By all accounts, Woods put on a show for the patrons, who followed him in droves, as if it were Sunday down the stretch. Strong driving, chipping and approach shots seemed to indicate Tiger had found his form since taking two months off to get his game tournament-ready (and which we all should have realized meant Masters-worthy).

“I felt good and it was nice to get out here,” Woods told AFP after his first public outing since withdrawing with back pain, and an even more painful short game from Torrey Pines, just 11 holes into his first round back in February.

“The last two months has been a process for me but I’m in a good place now,” said Woods, who went on hiatus shortly after his Torrey disasters. “It’s progression. I felt like I had to get my game into a spot where I could compete to win a golf tournament and it is finally there.”

Woods, who danced to the music in his ears during his practice, seemed more at ease in the spotlight than anyone could remember. Having O’Meara by his side seemed to signal that Tiger was looking to reclaim the glory years, when the 1998 Masters champ served as mentor and friend to the eventual superstar who would win four Masters tournaments.

“It was good to catch up with Mark again,” said Woods, who put the green jacket on O’Meara in 1998. “We text each other all the time, so it felt like old times out there. I miss him.”

As for the round, observers gave Woods high marks. He began by yanking his first tee shot left into pine trees near the ninth fairway but slammed his approach shot some five feet from the cup and kicked it in for a ho-hum birdie.

On the third hole, Woods stuck a chip shot to tap-in range and on No. 9, he chipped to about 20 feet and drained the putt for par. Overall, his wedge shots went as planned.

“My chipping is fine and today was good as I wanted to test out some wedges,” Woods said. “That was why I was chipping a little bit more.”

Woods and O’Meara were first off the tee Tuesday morning. Tiger had a “steelier look” in his eyes, according to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis.

Woods played nine holes and returned to the range, where he continued his reunion tour, embracing 2007 Masters winner Zach Johnson and BFF Steve Stricker.

No word on how he did Tuesday on the course, but Monday with O’Meara was a step in the right direction.

“Marco and Tiggy,” Rosaforte said, “let’s see if it produces the type of magic it did almost 10 years [ago].”

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