Tiger Woods: 'I feel like I can win again'
Tiger Woods is confident he can end his 11-year wait for a major triumph at the Masters this weekend.
The former world No. 1 enjoyed a resurgent 2018, returning from back surgery to win his first PGA Tour title in over five years last September after mounting strong challenges at The Open and the US PGA Championship.
Now the American feels capable of capturing a 15th major success and a fifth at Augusta National.
“I feel like I can win again,” said the 43-year-old, who’s last major victory came at the 2008 US Open.
“I’ve proven I can do it. I put myself in with a chance of winning the last two majors of last year.
“I was right there at The Open and had the lead. I was making a run at the PGA. I just needed to not throw away a couple of shots, which I managed at the Tour Championship at East Lake.
“From the struggles I’ve had the last few years, to take the lead on the first day and then end up winning the tournament wire-to-wire made it more special. It was a great way to cap off the season.
“But more than anything I’ve just proved to myself that I can play at this level again.”
Eleven years ago, when Woods won the last of his majors at Torrey Pines, it seemed inevitable the then 32-year-old would go on to eclipse the great Jack Nicklaus’ record total of 18.
But a mixture of poor form, chronic injuries and personal crises saw Woods plummet, a spiral he’s only truly began to recover from over the past 18 months.
When asked about his career’s dramatic decline, Woods replied: “I would say that I wouldn’t have foreseen that, for sure.
“After I won my 14th, I felt like I still had plenty more major championships that I could win but unfortunately I just didn’t do it.
“I put myself there with chances on the back nine on various Sundays and just haven’t done it. Hopefully this year, I put myself there again and hopefully I’ll get it done.”
The 83rd Masters begins Thursday, with the winner crowned on Sunday.
