Just when the chasing pack convinced themselves that Tiger Woods was human after all and there was nothing to fear from the player who in 2000 and 2001 took golf to a level never before seen, the nightmare is back.
After a nearly three-year ”slump” as he rebuilt his swing again, the world number one is back. And while gutsy Chris DiMarco forced him to a playoff for his ninth major victory, Woods was never overtaken over the closing 18 holes.
His third-round performance was a startling example of just how good Woods is when his game is on form.
Stretched over two days because of the havoc wreaked on the Masters timetable by the storms on Thursday and Friday, Woods began his third round on Saturday.
He finished it with three birdies for a five-under 31 outward nine. Only three people have ever shot better in the history of the Masters.
But despite his 31, he was still six shots behind leader DiMarco.
His Sunday morning nine to complete the third round was simply sizzling.
Four straight birdies saw his six shot defecit turn into a three-shot lead for the fourth and final round.
The lazer-like iron play was like the Tiger of 2000 and 2001, when he won four major titles in a row.
DiMarco, playing in the last group behind Woods, had the look of a rabbit caught in car headlights.
Before he could even hit his second shot he was deafened by the roar from the hole in front as Woods clocked up another birdie.
It could have been soul destroying for the 36-year-old DiMarco, especially after he began with a double bogey at the start of the back nine in Sunday’s completion of his third round.
Every roar was like another nail in his coffin.
Last year, he was in the final group on Sunday and could only look on helplessly as Phil Mickelson finally ended his major drought. DiMarco slipped back to sixth.
As he stood on the first tee on Sunday, with Woods beside him as playing partner, he could be excused for thinking it was deja vu.
Ernie Els, Mickelson and Vijay Singh had all convinced themselves that Woods had come back into the pack and that they had closed in during his ”slump”.
Jack Nicklaus, playing in what will almost certainly be his last Masters, left the course for the last time on Saturday as a competitor, but not before putting the record straight about Woods and the best of the rest.
”I don’t think Tiger has played his best the last year or so. He’s still obviously the dominant player, but he’s got so much talent he can be — like anybody who has dominated the game, myself maybe. I didn’t have to play my best to win and Tiger doesn’t have to play his best to win.
”But when he plays his best he’s going to probably win.
”He’s certainly blessed with a wealth of talent and he’s got a fantastic work ethic and he has a great desire to win,” warned Nicklaus.
Thomas Bjorn, who finished tied for 25th after starting the last round in third spot, admitted there was Woods and then there were the others.
”Tiger is Tiger, and when he gets on those kind of runs then we never know really what is going to happen. I’ve seen him play the best golf of his life probably in Pebble Beach in 2000 and I know what he’s capable of doing,” said the Dane.
”I’ve also beaten him but that’s a different story. I know what the guy is capable of, and when he plays like that, you’ve just got to enjoy watching.”
DiMarco understands.
”I went out here and shot 68 around here on Sunday, which is a very good round and 12-under is usually good enough to win. I just was playing against Tiger Woods,” he explained.
And to rub salt into Sunday night’s wounds, Woods warned that his revised swing was not to get him back to the level of 2000, 2001, but to improve on it.
The ”Fear” is back. – Sapa-AFP