Tiger Woods on if he’ll play the Masters: ‘God, I hope so’

Tiger Woods says he is “trying everything” to whip his battered body into shape for Augusta, but we’re not holding our breath that the winner of four Masters titles will actually make it to the tee for the men’s first major of the season that kicks off in a little more than two weeks.

Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday, Woods told host Michael Strahan that he would enjoy returning to the scene of his historic 1997 Masters victory, but that was not necessarily his foremost priority. Tiger was on the program to promote his new book about that event.

“God, I hope so. I’m trying. I’m trying everything to be able to get back and play,” Woods, still struggling after multiple back surgeries, told Strahan about whether he believed his body would be ready for the tournament. “I love that event. It’s meant so much to me in my life. It has so much history and meaning to me, I’d love to get back.”

Woods, absent from competitive golf since he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic in February, is an extreme long shot to be among the contenders for the green jacket come April 6. Though he had been out of sight until Monday’s appearance, his status has been the subject of much conjecture.

Golf Digest reported last week that sources deemed Woods unlikely to play at Augusta. Tiger’s agent Mark Steinberg refuted such news, though his dismissal was less than convincing as he acknowledged Woods was “not in a situation to even talk about playing in the Masters now.”

Woods allowed as much on Monday.

“I need to get back physically,” he said. “The mind is sharp. I just need to get the body willing to do it. That’s the hard part, is getting the prep time in. I haven’t been able to get as much prep time in, haven’t been able to train like I used to, practice like I used to, so it’s been harder.

“My priorities have changed a lot,” Woods noted. “My kids now dominate my life, and that’s a good thing.”

Woods, by the way, certainly showed some agility in knocking dead golf balls out of his way during a putting contest with Strahan. Oh, and the guy who says he expects to triumph every time he tees it up won the competition.