Is Tiger already out of the woods?

NEW YORK • Tiger Woods played an 18-hole practice round at Augusta National on Tuesday with son Charlie and his good friend and world No. 7 Justin Thomas, testing his fitness for the Masters next week, said multiple reports.

ESPN and Sports Illustrated, citing unnamed sources, reported that the 15-time Major champion flew to and from Georgia on his private jet to see how well he could walk the hilly layout, only 13 months after suffering severe leg injuries in a car accident.

"He played every one of them," a source told ESPN.

"He looked good to me."

The year's first Major will be played from April 7-10 at Augusta National, where Woods has captured five of his 15 Majors.

He suffered career-threatening injuries to his right leg in a car crash in February last year, saying later that he was lucky to survive the mishap and fortunate to still have both legs.

While saying he plans to return to tournament play on a limited basis, the 46-year-old American has given no timetable for when he might next play competitively on the PGA Tour.

Reports of his arrival sparked speculation that Woods - whose world ranking has slid to 944th - could make his comeback on the same Augusta National layout where he last played in a PGA Tour event in November 2020.

He won the 2019 Masters title, his first Major crown in 11 years since winning the 2008 US Open - in a play-off - with a broken leg.

That victory capped a Woods fightback from multiple back surgeries that had him wondering if he might ever have a pain-free life again, but returning to PGA action after his car crash will arguably be a greater triumph.

Woods was hospitalised for weeks and struggled to walk for months after the accident.

Following months of rehabilitation and silence on his social media channels, he played in the PNC Championship family event alongside Charlie in December, fuelling talk his recovery was on track.

Just last month, Woods said on the sidelines of the Genesis Invitational that he was not yet ready to return, adding: "I wish I could tell you when I'm playing again. I want to know, but I don't. My golf activity has been very limited.

"It takes time. What's frustrating is it's not at my timetable. I want to be at a certain place, but I'm not."

Despite all that, there is a sense that he would not have tested his ability to walk the course if he was not confident in his shot-making skills at Augusta.

He remains on a list of players who are qualified for the Masters as past champions, rather than on a list of non-playing former winners, and has until next week to decide whether he can compete.

Regardless of his final decision, Woods definitely plans to be in Augusta to attend the Masters Champions Dinner next Tuesday, after missing last year's event.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE