SINCE JACK NICKLAUS said Tiger Woods “had better get with it if he’s going to” break his record of 18 major titles, Woods has won twice and made himself the man to beat at next week’s Masters.
Woods seeks his 15th career major crown, what would be his first since the 2008 US Open. The 37-year-old American tries for his fifth green jacket, and first Masters win since 2005, starting Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club.
“I still think he will break my record,” Nicklaus said. “I don’t think for Tiger to get four or five more, or six or seven, is that big a stretch. I still think he can do it. But that said, he still has to do it (to get the record). He hasn’t won one in five years. He had better get with it if he’s going to.”
After rebuilding his swing and his life and reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking he lost in 2010, a major victory is the last item some golf fans await from Woods to declare him back on the form that once dominated the sport.
“This is the Tiger I grew up watching,” said 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.
Since an epic sex scandal erupted around Woods in late 2009, he has made a public apology that was televised worldwide, divorced Elin Nordegren, changed swing coaches, seen his world ranking sink to 58th and altered the mechanics of his swing to ease the stress on his surgically repaired knees.
Woods has moved from Orlando to South Florida, started dating US ski star Lindsey Vonn and returned to the top of the rankings by winning six of his past 20 starts, including PGA titles this year at Torrey Pines, Doral and Bay Hill.
“I feel like I’m headed in the right direction,” Woods said. “I’m very pleased where I’ve come from, 50-plus to where I’m at is no small task.”
But what about winning the majors?
“I would like to get to 19-plus myself,” Woods said. Woods at the worst of his personal and injury setbacks was able to share fourth at the Masters in 2010 and 2011 before sliding to a share of 40th last year, when Bubba Watson won his first major title in a Masters playoff.
“It has been one of those things where I’ve been close there so many times on that back nine on Sunday, and I just haven’t won,” Woods said. “I’ve been in the mix, been on the periphery and played myself into the mix. I’ve been right there with just a few holes to go, and it just hasn’t happened.
“Hopefully this year it will be a different story and I’ll put myself there and hopefully have Bubba put the jacket on me.”
