Tiger Woods’ Caddie Sheds Light On What It Will Take To Win Again

Tiger Woods made his grand return to competitive golf this past weekend for the Masters. And while he was able to make the cut, it was a  far cry from the dominant golfer we’ve grown accustomed to seeing over the course of his career.

Woods limped his way through his Sunday finish, clearly struggling with a lot of his shots. But according to his caddie, he’s not that far off.

After the Masters, Tiger’s Caddie, Joe LaCava spoke on if he really thinks Tiger has what it takes to get back to championship form.

“I don’t think he’s putting in all this work to finish 20th,’’ LaCava said in an interview Tuesday with SI.com/Morning Read. “I think he’s capable. I think it’s going to have to be the right situation, when he’s healthy and has more stamina. He is working to get to that point. And when he gets there, I can see him winning again.’’

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Despite the lackluster finish at The Masters, Joe LaCava didn’t think the performance was all bad for Tiger Woods last weekend.

“I thought he drove it pretty well, and at times he had some length,’’ he said. “A couple of times he was in the ballpark with (Jon) Rahm. When (Joaquin) Niemann hit a couple of decent ones, Tiger was in the neighborhood, 15 or 20 yards. That’s pretty good. Those are kids in their 20s.

“There were four or five shots that stand out to me. The 4-iron on No. 5 (the first day), from 210 yards. The chip-cut 7-iron he worked in there on No. 6. The 5-iron he hit on 10 to a foot. Those were shots he was hitting in his heyday. A lot of solid mid-iron shots.

“In terms of scoring, some of the chips he hit when he has great feel stop 3 or 4 feet from the hole instead of the 7 or 8-foot range. That would be tough anywhere, but at Augusta that is pronounced.

“Putting … for the most part his speed was off. Hit a lot of good putts, but some of them had too much pace and on the high side … the stroke looked good, and that’s all that mattered to me. And there’s no way to simulate it at home, certainly not Augusta National. I think he was worried about being able to walk and his focus was on getting stronger, so maybe not as much on chipping and putting.’’

After the Masters, Tiger Woods didn’t give a clear indication on when we’ll see him next. But he did say he’ll be at The Open at St. Andrews later in the season.

“He had to be exhausted when he was talking (to the media), physically and mentally, so it’s big that he committed,’’ LaCava said. “It couldn’t have been that bad because he normally doesn’t say stuff like that. He’ll have a better sense in a few weeks but he didn’t say anything to me about the PGA. I think in the back of his mind, he’d like to be ready by July. Will he be ready in five weeks? I don’t think he really knows to be honest. But if the recovery goes well, I guess he’d like to give it a try.’’

Now, Tiger Woods will have the opportunity to get back to his rehab. And hopefully we see a better version of the GOAT next time his competing on the course.

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