That Tiger Woods chose Augusta National to stage his return to golf is in itself an admission that, for the first time in his career, winning the Masters isn't his priority.
At least that's the conventional wisdom.
If he really wanted a fifth green jacket, the smart money says, he would've played a warm-up tournament.
Most of the savvy golf followers believe Woods chose the Masters because it's the safest place for him to begin what is sure to be a difficult comeback.
The media won't roll over at his Monday press conference but neither is he likely to be savaged with embarrassing questions about sexting porn queens.
The Masters is the only tournament where writers and photographers aren't allowed inside the ropes, giving Woods more breathing room than he would've gotten anywhere else.
He knows, too, these aren't the type of patrons who get thrown out of pubs. Augusta may be the South, but the fans at the Masters aren't rednecks: they're genteel folks who sip lemonade on porches, far too well-mannered to make a guest feel unwelcome.
On the other hand, how much patience will those in the gallery have if Tiger duffs his way through the tournament? They didn’t pay a couple of hundred or more to watch Woods shoot bogeys.
Just in case there happens to be few boisterous rednecks in the gallery intent on heckling, security will have them out on their ear before they can utter the second “boo.”
Besides that, his caddy (pictured above protecting Woods) has promised to silence hecklers when Tiger returns to tournament play.
This cartoon below is by Drew Litton, our favorite sports cartoonist. Drew and his “Littoons” live here.
The FOX Sports report is here. Click here for the “silence hecklers” story.
A picture of my cave
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