Tiger Woods can't win at the Masters

Tiger Woods can't win at the Masters. That's not to say he can't win the Masters, just that he can't win AT the Masters. On the one hand he is giving golf exactly what it needs, a Tiger boost. Advertisers, tour officials, and the media are salivating over the return of Eldrick. On the other hand it would be a slap in the face if he actually won the tournament. It's one thing to face public ridicule over past indiscretions but it's quite another to fly into Augusta, pick up a coat, and fly out. Doesn't he need practice? Doesn't he need time to get his game back in form? Is he really so much better than everyone that he can take 144 days off and still win a major? The thought of that is more than the public can bear. He's already broken their hearts by failing to live up to their expectations. It would be cruel to break their hearts by exceeding their expectations. They want him to do good, but not too good. If he has too much success too early there's really no penalty for tarnishing the golden boy image. The witch hunters would be furious and the players would be demoralized. The Tiger tour gets back into full swing April 8. No winning please.