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US Masters: The development of prize money since the beginning

The prize money of the US Masters - The development over the last 85 years. (Photo: Getty)
The prize money of the US Masters - The development over the last 85 years. (Photo: Getty)

Tiger Woods was paid over two million dollars for his victory at the 2019 US Masters – a first. He also overtook Phil Mickelson in the list of prize money kings in Masters history with this whopping prize money. Tiger Woods now leads this one, too. How the prize money of the US Masters has developed over the years and how much money Horton Smith, the first champion in 1934, got for his triumph over 85 years ago. An overview.

The prize money kings of the Masters history

  1. Tiger Woods, $9,494,136
  2. Phil Mickelson, $8,018,037
  3. Jordan Spieth, $4,561,156
  4. bubba watson, $3,931,855
  5. Adam Scott, $3,635,277

Prize money at the Masters: Tiger, Mickelson, Spieth

The next list where Tiger Woods is at number one since last year. With his over two million dollars from last year, he overtook three-time “Green Jacket” winner Phil Mickelson. The two are well ahead of the rest. Jordan Spieth, who won the 2015 Masters, is third with earnings of under five million dollars, while Bubba Watson and Adam Scott are fourth and fifth with under four million dollars. What is striking about the list is that only players who are still active are in the top 5. Also, if you let your eyes wander further down the list, you’ll notice: Only players from the modern era of golf take place in this list. The reason for this is the development of the prize money paid out at the US Masters over the years.

Masters prize money: From under two thousand to over two million dollars

The prize money in golf has increased over the years, everyone is aware of that. The market has grown, there are more sponsors and the players are not just athletes but brands. Nevertheless, it is worth taking a look at the prize money development of the US Masters, because the difference between the first and last staging is incomparably large. Horton Smith, who won the first US Masters in 1934, was happy to receive 1500 dollars.

Until the Second World War this prize money for the winner was not increased, only at the first Masters after the war the winner got 2500 dollars. Over the years, the prize money increased almost exponentially. In 1958, the winner was paid over 10,000 dollars for the first time, and in 1984 over 100,000 dollars for the first time. The magic mark of over one million dollars was not cracked until after the turn of the millennium in 2001 – the first winner to enjoy this prize money in new spheres was Tiger Woods. Within 18 years, this prize money has then doubled again, and once again Tiger Woods is the first player to have been paid prize money of over two million dollars.

1934-2021: The prize money of the winners at a glance

1934: $1,500
1935: $1,500
1936: $1,500
1937: $1,500
1938: $1,500
1939: $1,500
1940: $1,500
1941: $1,500
1942: $1,500
1943: –
1944: –
1945: –
1946: $2,500
1947: $2,500
1948: $2,500
1949: $2,750
1950: $2,400
1951: $3,000
1952: $4,000
1953: $4,000
1954: $5,000
1955: $5,000

1956: $6,000
1957: $8,750
1958: $11,250
1959: $15,000
1960: $17,500
1961: $20,000
1962: $20,000
1963: $20,000
1964: $20,000
1965: $20,000
1966: $20,000
1967: $20,000
1968: $20,000
1969: $20,000
1970: $25,000
1971: $25,000
1972: $25,000
1973: $30,000
1974: $35,000
1975: $40,000
1976: $40,000
1977: $40,000
1978: $45,000
1979: $50,000
1980: $55,000
1981: $60,000
1982: $64,000
1983: $90,000
1984: $108,000
1985: $126,000
1986: $144,000

1988: $183,800
1989: $200,000
1990: $225,000
1991: $243,000
1992: $270,000
1993: $306,000
1994: $360,000
1995: $396,000
1996: $450,000
1997: $486,000
1998: $576,000
1999: $720,000
2000: $828,000
2001: $1,008,000
2002: $1,008,000
2003: $1,080,000
2004: $1,117,000
2005: $1,260,000
2006: $1,260,000
2007: $1,305,000
2008: $1,350,000
2009: $1,350,000
2010: $1,350,000
2011: $1,440,000
2012: $1,440,000
2013: $1,440,000
2014: $1,620,000
2015: $1,800,000
2016: $1,800,000
2017: $1,980,000
2018: $1,980,000
2019: $2,070,000
2020: $2,070,000
2021: $2,070,000

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Tiger Woods at US Masters 2022: “I’m right where I need to be”

Tiger Woods comments on his first round at the US Masters 2022 (Photo: Getty)
Tiger Woods comments on his first round at the US Masters 2022 (Photo: Getty)

It’s hard to believe: after weeks of speculation and days of hoping, Tiger Woods actually made his commitment to the US Masters 2022. He completed his first round with a score of 1-under-par and is visibly satisfied with it. In this interview, he talks about the ups and downs before and during his round.

Tiger, what are you happiest with, and what are you most disappointed with?

I’ll start off with disappointment. Just making bogey from 50 yards on the 8th. Lack of concentration on the first one. Second one, lack of commitment. Then a blocked putt. So just three bad shots in a row.

But as far as the good stuff, to finish in the red today after as long a layoff as I’ve had and not being in competitive golf – I don’t really consider a scramble in the PNC – it is competitive, but it’s not like this. This is totally different.

But to play this golf course and to do what I did today, to make – to hit the shots in the right spots – I know where to hit it to a lot of these pins, and I miss in the correct spots and give myself good angles. I did that all day, and I was able to make a few putts and end up in the red like I am now.

I’m only three back. We’ve got a long way to go. This golf course is going to change dramatically – cooler, drier, windier. You can hear the SubAirs on out there. This golf course is going to change, and it’s going to get a lot more difficult.

How are you feeling compared to how you expected to feel?

I am as sore as I expected to feel, but it was amazing to have – like I was telling the team all week, come game time, it will be a different deal. My adrenaline will kick in. I’ll get into my own little world, and I’ll get after it. It’s about the training that we’ve done to have the stamina to go.

I’m going to be sore, yes. That’s just the way it is. But the training cycles that we’ve had to make sure that I have the stamina to keep going – and this is only one round. We’ve got three more to go. There’s a long way to go and a lot of shots to be played.

Tiger, after so long away, did it feel like business as usual once you got to the 1st tee, or did you kind of have to get into the mindset of competition again?

No, it was – you know, I was alluding to in there, I had a terrible warmup session. I hit it awful. I went back to what my dad always said. Did you accomplish your task in the warmup? It’s a warm up. Did you warmup? Yes, I did. Now go play. That’s exactly what I did, I went and played.

I forgot whatever I did on the range and just go ahead and play shot for shot, hit the ball in the correct spot, commit to what I’m doing, leave myself in the right angles, hopefully make a few putts, and let’s get after this thing. Yeah, I was able to do that.

I was able to finish up in the red. I’m only three back. I’m right where I need to be.

In that shot from the pine straw on 14, do you have to convince yourself you can pull that off? Or are you just so in the mindset that health-wise there’s no trouble doing that?

I was going to pull it off. I was going to hit – I had a gap. I had a window. I was going to hit it. The next shot was not very good. I tried to bump around a 4-iron through there and hit it way too hard. I give it a little extra juice because it was into the wind, and I made a mistake and hit too hard and misread the putt just a touch.

The challenge of walking the course, did it get harder, or was it —

No, it did not get easier, let’s put it that way. I can swing a golf club. The walking’s not easy, and it’s difficult. As I said with all the hard work, my leg, it’s going to be difficult for the rest of my life. That’s just the way it is, but I’m able to do it.

That’s something I’m very lucky to have this opportunity to be able to play, and not only that, to play in the Masters and to have this type of reception.

I mean, the place was electric. I hadn’t played like this since ’19 when I won because in ’20 we had COVID and we had no one here, and I didn’t play last year. So to have the patrons fully out and to have that type of energy out there was awesome to feel.

Tiger, can you overstate what you accomplished today, a round in the red after your layoff and your injury? Can you put into words what you just did?

Not easy (laughter). People have no idea how hard it’s been. My team does. They’ve worked with me every single day. I’ve said this before, we haven’t taken a day off since I got out of the bed after those three months.

Granted, some days are easier than others. Some days we push it pretty hard, and other days we don’t. But always doing something.

So it’s commitment to getting back and commitment to getting back to a level that I feel that I can still do it. I did something positive today.

What part of your game needs more time? What have you just not been able to get up to the standard that you need more time?

Just hitting more golf balls, just working on my game. I can chip and putt, but it’s going out there and hitting like – you know, like all these young kids, like I used to. Go out and hit a ball for four or five hours, go out and hit a thousand golf balls a day. That doesn’t happen anymore.

I can’t do that anymore, and I have to rely on, okay, pick one thing to work on, and hopefully that works out today. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to work on it again, and sometimes that doesn’t happen. Sometimes it may be two or three days before I’ll be able to work on it again. We’ll just try and keep progressing, keep picking it off.

But in the meantime, if you can’t hit balls, let’s keep that body getting stronger. Let’s keep getting it as mobile as possible given the circumstances that I have and keep working at it.

Tiger, I realize you only define victory one way and that’s winning the tournament, but was this the equivalent of a victory to you, just showing up and being able to compete like you did?

Yes.

Why? Why does it feel that way to you?

If you would have seen how my leg looked to where it’s at now, the pictures – some of the guys know. They’ve seen the pictures, and they’ve come over to the house and they’ve seen it. To see where I’ve been, to see – to get from there to here, it was no easy task.

Tiger, what will you go through over the next 18 hours or so to get yourself prepared for the second round? What’s your treatment like?

A lot. A lot. Lots of treatments. Lots of ice. Lots of ice baths. Just basically freezing myself to death. That’s just part of the deal. And getting all the swelling out as best as we possibly can and getting it mobile and warmed up, activated and explosive for the next day. Those are two totally different ends of the spectrum.

Most sports, if you’re not feeling very good, you got a teammate to pass it off to, and they can kind of shoulder the load. Or in football, one day a week. Here we’ve got four straight days, and there’s no one that’s going to shoulder the load besides me. I’ve got to figure out a way to do it.

My team’s been incredible at getting me into this position so that I can compete. I’ll take it from there. I know how to play. I’ve just got to get out there where I can play.

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US Masters 2022: Matthew Wolff destroys his club after only four holes

Matthew Wolff at the US Masters 2022 (Photo: Getty)
Matthew Wolff at the US Masters 2022 (Photo: Getty)

Matthew Wolff and the Masters – a story all of its own. In his third participation in the prestigious Major at Augusta National Golf Club, things once again did not go entirely the way planned for the young American. The 22-year-old destroyed his club after only four holes of the US Masters 2022.

US Masters 2022: Livescoring

Matthew Wolff had a disastrous start to the US Masters 2022

Wolff had already started the tournament with a double bogey after he got stuck on the edge of the fairway bunker, only reached the green with his third shot and holed out from long distance with a three-putt. The one-time winner on the PGA Tour also recorded a 6 on his scorecard on the following hole – this time for a bogey. After another bogey, Matthew Wolff was already four-over-par after three holes of the US Masters 2022. Then, as his tee shot on hole 4, a par-3, landed in the greenside bunker, Wolff let off some steam – the club had to suffer.

At least for a few holes, the action obviously helped, because the American managed the par save from the sand and three pars followed. But things got even worse for Wolff as the round progressed. The three-time Masters participant collected six more bogeys and was only able to make two birdies at Augusta National. With nine strokes over par, Wolff is at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Wolff and the Masters – it’s complicated

For Wolff, this continues a string of frustrating performances at Augusta National. He missed the cut in his first appearance at the November Masters in 2020, and last year Wolff was disqualified after the second round. The reason: the then 21-year-old had registered an incorrect score on hole 17 and was therefore excluded from the tournament. Now the 45th in the world rankings is in danger of missing the cut again after a nine-over round.

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US Masters 2022: Paul Casey withdraws just before tee time

Paul Casey cannot play in the US Masters 2022. (Photo: Getty)
Paul Casey cannot play in the US Masters 2022. (Photo: Getty)

Paul Casey had to withdraw from the tournament shortly before his tee time for the first round of the US Masters 2022 due to an injury. He would have started at 4:53pm alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Players champion Cameron Smith and withdrew just minutes before. This means Casey, who is one of the best players without a win in one of the four major tournaments, will miss out on a chance to win one of the big titles. At already 44 years old, the Englishman is running out of time to hit the big time. On the Wednesday before the Masters, he still took part in the par-3 contest with his family.

US Masters 2022: Leaderboard

Paul Casey already injured before the US Masters 2022?

Already at the end of March at the WGC Dell Match Play, Casey had to concede his first match after two holes due to back problems. He then did not play in any of the other matches. All three matches of the group phase were scored for his opponents. Nevertheless, he received 40,000 euros in prize money as the last player in the group. “The pain I feel is in my lower back, on the left side, it’s like a cramp,” Casey explained at the time. According to the physiotherapist, it is the gluteal muscle.

“The back issues are persistent and thus preventing me from being able to compete. I shall now focus on my treatment and recovery so I can return to competitive form as soon as possible,” Casey explained his withdraw from the US Masters 2022.

Since the US Masters is an invitational tournament, there is no list of players who advance if someone else withdraws, as is the case with normal tour events. So at least Casey cannot be accused of having made his decision earlier.

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US Masters 2022: Will Jon Rahm continue the Spanish tradition at Augusta?

Jon Rahm together with compatriot Sergio Garcia during the practice round at the US Masters 2022. (Photo: Getty)

We are in a week unlike any other in the entire year. When the gates of Augusta National Golf Club open in April, the entire golfing world goes into a trance for seven days, triggered by the uniqueness and simple beauty of this tournament. In Augusta, everything simply fits and the entire scenery seems perfectly coordinated, as if in a choreography that has been rehearsed for years. For this very reason – and because Augusta is Augusta – the US Masters is considered the most prestigious and important tournament of the year, even among players.

US Masters 2022 – Tee Times

That’s how Jon Rahm sees it, too. Although the Spaniard lost his first place in the world rankings to Scottie Scheffler a few weeks ago, the bookmakers still consider the 27-year-old to be the biggest contender for the title at the 2022 US Masters, and for good reason. For one thing, Rahm has always finished in the top 10 in his last four appearances at Augusta, and for another, this golf course has a very special Spanish aura about it. Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia have already won the Green Jacket, and now the next great Spaniard is to follow. But Jon Rahm is aware of the difficulty of this task, as he revealed at the press conference on Tuesday.

US Masters 2022: No major like any other


The Masters is unique. Not only because of its history, but also because it is the only major tournament that is played on the same course every year. Admittedly, the Augusta National Golf Club has made some minor changes to the course again this year, but anyone who has ever played the Masters can gauge exactly what to expect. Jon Rahm knows that, too: “It makes preparation a little easier. You can simulate the situations for different shots a little easier in practice than you can at the other three majors, when you play a new course every year,” says the world number two.

Based on this fact, but also on his strong results in recent years, the Spaniard considers himself well prepared for the coming week: “I know I can play well here and hopefully on Sunday I can be a little closer on the last nine holes than in recent years.”

Tiger Woods on US Master 2022: “I belive I can win!”

In addition to the beautiful golf course built by Perry Maxwell in 1937, it’s also the crowds of fans that make the tournament what it is today. For Rahm, the 2022 US Masters is unlike any other event. After limited crowds during the pandemic, they are returning to full capacity this year. And as if the anticipation wasn’t already high enough, Tiger Woods is also announcing his comeback for the same week. “We were on the 7 on Monday and Tiger was just playing the 2,” Rahm reports of his first impressions. “I’ve never seen such a big crowd on those two holes, even on a Sunday. There’s a lot more excitement in the air.”

Jon Rahm: “Justin Thomas is the only one who gets real tips from Tiger.”

If you want to hold your own at Augusta National Golf Club, you need a good mix of experience and your best golf game. Forty-two years ago, Seve Ballesteros became the first Spaniard to win the U.S. Masters, ushering in a small Spanish tradition that last continued in 2017 when Sergio Garcia won the Green Jacket. Jon Rahm knows about that tradition and would only be too happy to do his part:

“Since I’m the only Spanish player who is a Major champion but not a Masters champion, that would be something special. Hopefully I can be fourth on that list. There have been a lot of good Spanish stories here that I would like to add to.”

US Masters 2022: Hideki Matsuyama serves outrageous menu of Japanese cuisine

If Rahm can show his best game this week, he will undoubtedly be considered the top favorite. But the Masters wouldn’t be the Masters if even the best players in the world didn’t break a sweat in this setting. Experience is the be-all and end-all at Augusta. When Tiger Woods was about to play his first US Masters, then as an amateur, he got helpful tips from Seve Ballesteros about the condition of the greens and how best to master the difficult shots at Augusta. When asked if Rahm himself had ever asked Tiger for such tips, the Spaniard responded with a nice anecdote:

“Justin Thomas is the only one who gets real tips from Tiger. I asked him for tips once before, back in East Lake. He just turned around and said ‘it’s all about the feeling and just keep going’ and I stood there thinking ‘cool, thanks for that’. Then when I turned around he was standing next to JT telling him a whole dissertation.”

Even if Rahm can’t hope for any tips from Tiger, it should also be enough if he fully trusts his game; after all, it made him the best golfer in the world last year. And there’s one more thing to be hopeful about. Rahm has his biggest fan with him again this week for the 2022 US Masters. “My son Kepa was a lucky charm at the U.S. Open. He wasn’t there at the British Open, so I hope he makes it lucky again this time.”

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He’s back! – Tiger Woods confirms participation in US Masters 2022

Tiger Woods will play in the 2022 US Masters!!! (Photo: Getty)
Tiger Woods will play in the 2022 US Masters!!! (Photo: Getty)

Just 14 months ago golf legend Tiger Woods suffered a serious accident, now he’s back at the US Masters 2022!
After he already traveled to Augusta last week and completed some practice rounds together with Justin Thomas, he now announced, two days before the start of the tournament: “As of right now, I feel like I am going to play.”

Tiger Woods is back in Augusta

In the press conference on Tuesday morning, Tiger Woods confirmed the hopes of his fans:

Sixth title for Tiger Woods?

But his participation is not enough for the GOAT (Greatest of all Time). Asked if he believes in a sixth victory in this edition of the Masters, the record-breaking winner replies simply: “I do.”

Already in his practice rounds, Tiger Woods appeared confident. His flight partners reported that he had no more signs of injury and was playing at his high level. Find out how Tiger Woods will fare in the coming days in our live scoring and live ticker!

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Who are the favorites for the US Masters 2022?

A lot is expected of some players in particular at the 2022 US Masters. (Photo: Getty)
A lot is expected of some players in particular at the 2022 US Masters. (Photo: Getty)

The first major is just around the corner this week. The starting field is relatively small with 91 players and the venue is Augusta National Golf Club, as it is every year. With the help of the performances of the past weeks as well as the statistics of the past years we can identify the biggest favorites. At the same time, some players can also be excluded as favorites. However, it should not be forgotten: “Unexpected often comes”…

Especially in focus at the US Masters 2022

Future hope Viktor Hovland already proved several times in his young years that he has what it takes to become a champion. Hovland leads the DP World Tour Rankings this season with just three tournaments played, and he currently sits seventh in the FedEx Cup rankings thanks to one win and four top-10 finishes. He finished the 2019 Masters as the top amateur and just missed the top 20 (T21) last year.

Australian Cameron Smith has already prevailed in two significant tournaments this year. Tournament number 1 of 2022, the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, was won by Smith with a record score of 34 strokes under par. He also took the winning prize money in the unofficial “fifth” major, the Players Championship. With these two victories, he is currently in third place in the FedEx Cup. Smith is definitely a dangerous competitor in this form.

Since the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, no one has been able to get past the name Scottie Scheffler. With his third win in six weeks, he reached the top of the world rankings two weeks before the Masters. There is no denying that the American is in absolute top form. Although he “only” finished T18 at the last Masters, he made it into the top 10 at the other 2021 Major tournaments.

The absolute favorite is, among others, Jon Rahm, who until last week had been at the top of the world rankings for a total of 43 weeks. Major tournaments seem to suit him particularly well: The Spaniard has finished in the top 10 in each of his last four Masters appearances, while he also played his way into the top 10 twice in the other three majors last year and achieved his first major victory at the US Open. Based on these results, Rahm is not the top favorite for no reason.

Collin Morikawa is the high-flyer of 2020/21. At just 25 years of age, he is already a two-time major winner and has worked his way up to second place in the world rankings thanks to numerous victories and placings. The Masters is the major at which he has been least successful in his still young career. His best result so far was a shared 18th place last year, which he will try to beat this year.

Looking at the Masters stats

In addition to the five favorites listed, there are several other players who, according to various statistics, will have the best chance of winning the 2022 US Masters. For example, each of the last ten Masters winners was in the top 25 of the official world golf rankings in the week of their victory. Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Tyrrell Hatton, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann, Daniel Berger, Tony Finau, Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick and Paul Casey also have good chances.

Two players were excluded in this enumeration: Sam Burns and Hideki Matsuyama. Sam Burns is competing at the Masters for the first time, making him a newcomer to Augusta. At 86 Masters, only one rookie has managed to win the tournament so far, so the chances for players competing for the first time are pretty slim. This also applies to Harold Varner III, Sepp Straka, Tom Hoge and JJ Spaun, among others. Hideki Matsuyama will start as defending champion at the 2022 Masters, which is why he is denied a favorite position. Only three players have managed to defend the title in the entire Masters era.

Looking at the Strokes Gained statistics, some players get another plus point. Eight of the last ten Masters winners were at least 1.5 strokes per round better from tee to green than their competitors in the three months leading up to the Masters. Jon Rahm, Joqauin Niemann, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy, Daniel Berger, Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland all figure in that trend.

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US Masters 2022: Bryson DeChambeau plays despite injuries

Bryson DeChambeau will compete at the US Masters 2022 despite injuries. (Photo: Getty)
Bryson DeChambeau will compete at the US Masters 2022 despite injuries. (Photo: Getty)

In recent weeks and months, headlines have not reported Bryson DeChambeau’s strong performances, but his numerous health problems. Among them his wrist problems and hip pain. On Monday, he spoke about his health condition and how he is dealing with it at the 2022 US Masters. An important message for his fans: He will compete, but he is not yet back to 100 percent performance.

Bryson DeChambeau: “I’m at 80 percent performance”

DeChambeau is back in Augusta and training together with his coaching team. But due to his injuries, he can’t follow his usual training path. “I can give about 80 percent right now,” he answered in an interview when asked about his form. “That’s why I can’t do swing speed training and I have to train smarter in general. I have to be careful and effective in the things I practice.” But DeChambeau also sees improvement in recent weeks, just in time for the 2022 U.S. Masters. “I’m proud that I made it here in such a short time. I’m pleased with that,” he said. ““Hitting golf balls on the range today, I was able to sustain practice for a good amount of time,” he said. Despite his weaker form, he still manages a ball speed of around 190 miles per hour.

US Masters 2022: Doctors advise against participation

DeChambeau’s hip injury developed two years ago, he explained in an interview. The small tear in his hip labrum first became relevant when he slipped “Charlie Brown-like” during a table tennis match against Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann in front of the Saudi International and fell on said hip, as well as his injured hand.
After that, DeChambeau underwent CTs and MRIs resulting in a hairline fracture of the hamate bone. This common injury, especially among baseball players, could also stem from his excessive workouts at the driving range, according to DeChambeau. Back in November, he was probably struggling with problems in his hand: “Last November, before I played against Brooks, I felt something. There was something on my hand that kind of popped, and I was like, ‘Ah, this isn’t normal.’ It didn’t really feel good either. It was hard to hit balls.”
The American’s injuries usually entail a four-month break, but DeChambeau was back on the golf course after just two months. This decision is not without risks and in the worst case could lead to surgery one his left hand. But for DeChambeau, one thing is certain, “the Masters is only once a year and I have to give it a go.”

For “The Hulk,” the last six weeks off were not a punishment. He himself said he used the time to give back to his viewers and to golf. “It’s really made me a different person, and – I hope – a better person who also has a different perspective on the game of golf.” He also learned to listen to his body better and give himself rest breaks, he said.
But despite that positive outlook, his comeback to the golf course was frustrating. After six weeks without playing practice, his rounds were marked by shouts of “Fore.” “It’s just not fun. It’s very difficult on your mental psyche as well.”

Bryson DeChambeau wants to take it slower

For him, the last few months have been a learning phase. He had to deal with the first major injury of his career and (at least partially) revise many attitudes toward sports. “You have to pay attention to every part of your body,” he explained in the interview. Still, he said he continues to enjoy pushing his limits and making improvements as a result. Due to his injuries, however, that approach hasn’t necessarily been possible, “i’ve taken more of a reserved approach now through this season, I’ll start ramping back up when I feel 100 percent again.” For now, he is confident of playing up front again at Augusta, despite his weaker form. “It’s been a bit of unravelling this knot that I’ve had in my game for the past four years,” he said of his search for greater consistency with his swing. “We’re finally moving in a direction that I feel is positive for me being able to win again, hopefully, regularly like I did in 2018.”

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Will he play at The 2022 Masters? – Tiger Woods updates on participation

Will Tiger Woods compete at The Masters? (Photo: Getty)
Will Tiger Woods compete at The Masters? (Photo: Getty)

The past few days resembled an exciting thriller: Will Tiger Woods make his comeback at the 2022 Masters, yes or no? Hopes were dashed by a supposed tournament cancellation, only to return much bigger afterwards. Tiger Woods made it really exciting again a few days before the Masters week. Now Tiger Woods came forward on Twitter and declared that he will travel to Augusta.

Decision still to be made

“I will be heading up to Augusta today to continue my preparation and practice,” Tiger Woods wrote on the short message service Twitter on Sunday, but: “It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete.” So it is clear that the five-time Masters winner will indeed try to compete at the 86th Masters. But whether the 46-year-old’s state of health will allow it is the decisive factor.

Tiger tracking for days

More than a year ago, Tiger Woods was involved in a car accident. Since then, no one knew whether he would return to the golf course. A few days before the Masters week, hope sprouted that Tiger could make his comeback at the first Major of 2022. Despite an assumed tournament cancellation, he was still on the list of participating golfers.

Soon, numerous references to his participation in the Masters circulated on the internet. In addition to a recording of Tiger practising on his home course The Medialist under tournament conditions, another discovery made hearts beat faster: Tiger Woods’ private jet flew straight towards Augusta and the 82-time PGA Tour winner played a practice round at Augusta National. Fans now knew: The possibility of Tiger Woods making his comeback after more than a year at the 2022 Masters still exists!

On Sunday before Masters week, an official announcement from the superstar finally followed: Tiger Woods will travel to the 86th Masters and see if a start is possible shortly before the tournament begins. Since the US Masters is an invitation tournament with an elite field, he can afford to wait until the very end before the prestigious Major is played from 7 to 10 April.

Tiger Woods faced career end

Tiger Woods and the events of the tournament had been quiet for the past year. On 23 February 2021, the golf legend suffered serious injuries in a car accident and was in danger of losing his right leg. For months, Woods fought his way back to a life without a wheelchair and crutches. Whether he would ever return to the golf course was unclear. There were first hopes of a comeback in December 2021. Ten months after the devastating accident, Woods teed off together with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship.

However, it remained questionable whether Tiger Woods would ever be able to play a full PGA Tour tournament again. Since then, there has been much speculation about the legend’s comeback. When will it be? Will Woods even be able to return to the PGA Tour? Will his irrepressible ambition bring him back to the golf tournaments of this world?

A few weeks before the first major of 2022, the Masters Tournament in Augusta, disappointing news emerged: Woods ruled out a return at the 2022 Masters. With the decision to become the oldest Masters winner of all time, he would return to the Masters 2023 at the earliest. Shortly before the 2022 Masters, the turnaround followed and Woods decided that he wanted to compete in the world’s most famous golf tournament as early as this year. We will know in a few days whether it really works out.

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Comeback at The Masters? – Tiger Woods practices at Augusta National

Will we see Tiger Woods at Augusta National at the 2022 US Masters? (Photo: Getty)
Will we see Tiger Woods at Augusta National at the 2022 US Masters? (Photo: Getty)

With the first Major of the year just ahead, speculation is getting fuelled about a return of Tiger Woods to golf’s biggest stage. Will arguably the greatest golfer of all time, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, make his comeback after his serious accident around 13 months ago at Augusta National, where he already celebrated his sporting revival in 2019? In any case, the 46-year-old is still listed in the field of players for the prestigious major and now the superstar has already flown to Augusta a week before the start of the tournament.

Tiger Woods: Practice round at Augusta National

On Tuesday morning local time, the private jet of the 15-time major winner landed at the local airport, in the afternoon Tiger Woods played a practice round at the legendary golf club at Magnolia Lane. Together with his fellow Justin Thomas and son Charlie, with whom he already excelled at the PNC Championship last December, Woods played all 18 holes at Augusta National. An insider told ESPN: “He looked good to me.”

Prior to that, the five-time Masters winner had also played a few rounds at his home club, The Medalist in Jupiter, Florida (USA), to test out the resilience of the right leg he had injured so badly. Now it’s time for the ultimate test at Augusta National, which not only demands a lot from the player in terms of golf, but also represents a real test of endurance due to its long paths and hilly courses.

“He’s gonna tee it up”

The fact that he was accompanied by his caddie, Joe LaCava, fuels hopes that Tiger Woods will make a comeback soon. “He’s gonna tee it up, I think,” Colt Knost, a former PGA Tour pro, said on “The Drop Zone” podcast, for example. “I know Joe and Tiger are close, but I don’t see Joe flying down to Florida just to carry his bag and hang out.” Knost also believes Woods would have already cancelled his participation in the first major of the year if he knew he couldn’t play.

Brad Faxon, a pro on the PGA Tour Champions, also has high hopes for Tiger, but thinks a return anytime soon is less likely. “I’m continually amazed by the things Tiger Woods can do. And, if he puts his mind together and feels OK, can he, ranked 944th in the world, come back and play at the Masters and then could he contend? It would be an unbelievable Ben Hogan-like success story.” the American said of the speculation. “My emotion wants him to play,” the 60-year-old explained, but “if I had to bet money I would say it’s probably less than 50/50.”

Participation at the Masters 2022?

Whether Tiger Woods will really make his comeback at the US Masters 2022 at Augusta National remains to be seen. As a former champion, the superstar is obviously seeded in the field and can take his time deciding whether or not to play until the tournament begins. The first Major of the year at Augusta National will be played from 7 to 10 April.