Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods has issued a strong warning to his doubters, claiming that he is at the Masters to win the tournament and grab his 15th Major, insisting that he has worked his 'ass off' to be able to compete again.
The 14-time Major winner did not name any critics directly but he stressed just how much effort it had taken for him to return from his self-enforced break.
According to Woods' former coach Hank Haney, the American's diligence began dropping off as long ago as 2007 and he puts a large part of his seven-year major-less run down to this onset of inertia, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Woods has always prided himself on his work ethic and believes that he has proved that he retains it by being at this, the 79th Masters ready to contend after such a desultory start to his campaign.
Woods, who last year underwent spinal surgery, posted an 82 at the Phoenix Open in January and then, the next week at Torrey Pines, lasted only 11 holes before withdrawing, citing a lower back injury. Nobody even considered him as a Masters challenger, with his odds falling to an unprecedented 50-1.
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However, the golf ace is adamant that he is in Georgia to win and the reason he is sure is because of the exhaustive sessions he has spent on the range at his south Florida home. He said that people would never understand how much work he puts into it to come back and do this again, adding that it was sun up to sun down, and whenever he had free time.
It has taken him two months and Woods confessed that there were times when the slow pace of his progress got to him. He admitted that it was more frustration than anything else, because he knew what he could do, and just wasn't able to do it at the time.
Chris Como, the coach who replaced Sean Foley last November, was with Woods throughout this eight-week slog. The challenge has been to take him back to an old swing and it is the different release patterns which, Woods claims, caused his chipping to go so badly awry.
Woods said that he wasn't hitting the ball as well as he needed to or even chipping and putting as well, and he needed to have all facets of his game come around. He claimed that they all have insisting that they have spent a lot of time and it's paid off.
Woods said that he is excited to be back playing at the highest level, adding that his game is ready to compete.
Woods claimed that it would by his 15th major if he wins the Masters on Sunday, adding that he quite likes winning.
