2019 Masters: Tiger Woods enjoys the roar of the crowd at Augusta National

According to American sports journalist Rick Reilly, in his new book on Donald Trump, the late Earl Woods embodies the career of his son, Tiger. It was: "We came in. We saw, we won, we managed to … get out of the city."

But the masters and the Augusta National were always different. This is the place that has best supervised Woods Jnr's genius. "Tiger" has won four Green Jackets here – but the last one was 14 years ago in 2005. "I do not really need to win again," he says with a smile. "I really want to."

The privileged relationship between Woods and the Masters is back on track.

At 43, the most recognizable figure of golf is again a competitor. He is far, but near; candidate but also outsider, physically, after four surgeries on the back and four knee operations – the latest being born in April 2017.

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Backed by an encouraging practice round of 65 here last week, Woods is nonetheless unable to hide the challenges his body is facing. "The most difficult thing is that I can not practice as before," he says. "My back hurts me, I can not work on every part of my game every day, I have to choose different parts of my game, and that's the challenge I'm facing now." worked on putting them on, and when I did, I put it well.

"If I worked on my short game, I played it well, you know, I can not do it all the time anymore."

This last complaint would have an impact on anyone of middle age. But Woods, ranked 12th in the world, is not the average old man. He is about to make his 22nd appearance in an event in which he broke 20 tournament records in his spectacular victory in 1997.

He is in this tempting state of knowing that he can win tournaments but does not know if his body will sabotage his efforts over four rounds.

"I feel like I've made a lot of progress over the past 12, 14 months, but I've more than ever proven myself that I can play at this level again," he says. "I went back [being] one of the players who can win events. "

Woods changed the sleeves of his pilot and 3-wood to compensate for neck pain: "A little lighter allowed my body to support it more easily, and the next thing you knew, I have had a little more strength and started driving a little better, which was nice. "These are the calculations that he must now do.

The latter is no longer the great warrior, the remote warrior of the world, but he also seems more willing to tap into the energy of a crowd that offers a haven against the smartphone craze and the ## 147 ## 39, inanity of the usual circuit.

"These are some of the most respectful people you will play with," he says. "You see the same people, for me, I've been here for 22 years and you see the same people over 16, the same people over 18, the same people on the T-shirt 1. It's fantastic to see and they have all their badges from 50 years old to be at Masters.

"This is unlike any other golf tournament, and my relationship with this event and the customers who followed me not only myself, but all the players here over the years has been just special.

"The tournament does an incredible job creating a special atmosphere, but it's also the customers who know how to say how we can say the roars of birdies and eagles.

"It's not like most Tour events.If you have a ball in the air, you're the man.We have our names on the golf bag, so we're able to to do in the air, but it's different.

"I played in front of Jack [Nicklaus] when he did this race in 1998, and that it was just electric, and that's what this place does. And I've been in the last nine games, winning and losing, but I've heard it, I've felt it, and it's exciting to be part of it. I hope to be part of it on Sunday night. "

Woods rarely speaks in this way of galleries. Emotional detachment was his modus operandi. Yet Augusta could be the perfect place to raise him to less than three Nicklaus record wins with 18 major titles.

He says: "I was quick to take pictures that I only dreamed of realizing, and to see some reactions.I remember seeing the video later, after making this photo on April 16, 2005, and a gentleman to the back – I think it was around 15. I mean, he slaps his hat on the floor.

"It's fun, it's exciting to be a part of situations like this, people will turn around and say," I saw him shoot that ball. "Some of my best shots I've ever had drawn are here – a very special place and I am excited about it. "

Woods calls the Masters "pure golf" – "just the player and the youngest", unlike The Open, where "there are sometimes 75 to 100 people in the strings that follow us – and it becomes a little distracting, sometimes a little difficult . "

Augusta thus offers solitude, intimacy and moderate fervor. It's a city that Woods is in no hurry to go out.