The China Mail - Tiger works well early as Masters ready for eclipse

Woods, making a comeback after right ankle surgery last April, went out with Will Zalatoris in a morning foray onto the back nine alongside new caddie Lance Bennett as the 15-time major winner prepared for his 26th Masters start.

The 48-year-old legend, still struggling to walk after severe leg injuries from a 2021 car crash, hopes to make his 24th consecutive Masters cut and break the tournament record he shares with Gary Player and Fred Couples.

"He played great today," Zalatoris said. "He outdrove me a couple times so there was some chirping going on. He looks great. He's moving as well as he can be.

"With everything he has gone through, it's pretty amazing to see how good he's swinging it."

Five-time Masters winner Woods, whose most recent major title came at the 2019 Masters, withdrew last year after making the cut due to plantar fasciitis.

He later underwent ankle surgery and is still in comeback mode, but he withdrew from his PGA return at Riviera in February after one round due to illness.

Zalatoris, who missed most of the 2023 season after back surgery, was second at Riviera and fourth at Bay Hill. He developed a relationship with Woods over injury recovery.

"It's not so much the answers, it has been more the thought-provoking questions that he has given to me, has really been the stuff that has kind of got me back to where I am," Zalatoris said.

Spectators at Augusta National received specially made glasses for the afternoon eclipse, complete with a Masters logo, with up to 76.1 percent of totality of the moon covering the sun over the famed course.

"Found a couple of Masters eclipse glasses, which I will be keeping for absolutely the rest of my life," Zalatoris said. "Those will be some collectables that will be in my office forever. I'll be watching it."

Dimmed conditions are forecast at the course for about 2.5 hours during the practice session, but there was expected to be sufficient light for players to complete work on the course, driving range and chipping area.

Augusta National posted on X the optimal viewing area on the course would be at Amen Corner -- the famed 11th, 12th and 13th holes known more for Sunday drama than Monday stargazing.

It's not the first time the lights have gone out on the Masters.

There was an eclipse during the final round of the 1940 Masters, when Jimmy Demaret fired a 71 to defeat Lloyd Mangrum by four strokes.

- Chasing Masters history -

Several players in addition to Woods are chasing a place in Masters history this week.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, fancied by oddsmakers, could match Woods as the only players to win the Masters twice while atop the world rankings. Scheffler was also world number one when he captured the 2022 Masters crown.

World number two Rory McIlroy, a four-time major winner from Northern Ireland, has not won a major since 2014 but makes his 10th attempt to complete a career grand slam by winning the Masters.

McIlroy, whose six top-10 finishes in his past nine Masters starts include a runner-up effort behind Scheffler in 2022, would join Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen with the career grand slam should be capture the green jacket.

Defending champion Jon Rahm of Spain, among 13 LIV Golf players in this week's field, could become only the fourth player to win Masters titles in back-to-back years, joining Woods, Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.

Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old who won at LaQuinta before turning professional, was the first amateur to take a PGA title since Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Now the collegian eyes a green jacket, a prize that last went to a first-time starter when Fuzzy Zoeller won in 1979.

"I don't think the awe ever goes away," he said of his Masters debut. "Hopefully come Thursday I'll be ready to kick it into tournament mode."

Z.Huang--ThChM